Harry Potter and the Other Mudblood
by nevillesremembrall
Summary: There was another Muggle-born that day on the train. She just didn't exist until now. Just as brave and powerful as the rest of Dumbledore's Army, my new addition will change the course of the famous tale forever.
1. Chapter 1

Ever since she was nine years old, Guinevere Montgomery had kept her hair perfectly died. She liked everything about her self to be defined and unusual without being weird. Therefore, when she had gone to the hairdresser for her annual trim, she had formed the idea that her naturally basic black hair would look better with white streaks in it. She had not anticipated, however, that the very bottle of dye she had been admiring would appear directly in front of her when the hairdresser was not looking. It was an event she chose to acknowledge as a trick of light and she had moved on, presented the bottle to the lady and watched as her boring shade transformed into a quirky, outward show of her personality. She quickly fell in love with her black and white fusion and had never looked back.

Her eyes, to her great pleasure, were naturally unique and had never required any altering by means of coloured contacts. They were large, round and wide and were a subtle grey colour that coincidentally matched her new hair perfectly.

She had pale skin that was the genetic curse of redheads and ravens. It was pale in a most delicate (and not sickly) way. Her face, legs and arms were covered with a multitude of tiny freckles. Her nose was the site of many of them and made the habit she had of scrunching her nose when she was angry or embarrassed even cuter. She also bore a distinct and odd birthmark shaped like a small triangle with a straight line running down the vertical center and a circle on the inside. (Some may know it as the Deathly Hallows Symbol)

She was of moderate height and was proud that she was not short. She was of the opinion that if she was short, she would be all too easily ignored. And attention was exactly what Gwen loved.

When she was six, she had been in the basement of her house cutting a birthday card for her mother. She had longed to put several hearts and stars of various sizes all over the paint splattered piece of cardboard. Gwen had grown frustrated after just ten minutes of uneven shapes and unsteady hands. She had set the scissors on the desk and pouted. To her wonder and amazement, the scissors had begun cutting the shapes of her imagination out of the construction paper all on their own. She had presented the card to her mother that afternoon and explained of the magic scissors. Her parents shared a doubtful and yet…. Somehow hopeful glance that she had missed.

When she was nine the dye bottle had appeared in front of her but only months after that, another wonder occurred. She had been walking home from her elementary school when it had started to pour. Normally Gwen quite enjoyed the rain but on this particular day, she was carrying home a very important project. As she raced against the storm, a sort of invisible bubble formed around her and all raindrops coming in her direction were diverted. She arrived home completely dry and her parents began their questioning.

"Has anything like this happened before?"

"You'll tell us if something strange happens again won't you?"

"You do remember your aunt Martha?"

"Do you suppose you would like Scotland?"

When the letter finally arrived on her eleventh birthday, Gwen had been too excited to notice that her parents didn't look completely surprised. Pleased, maybe, but most definitely not surprised. She had ripped it open and marvelled at the glorious and unbelievable contents:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)**

_Dear Miss Montgomery,_

_We have been observing you for many years and have confirmed that you do indeed posses magical abilities. This is a talent that you will take far. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is an academy dedicated to nurturing and developing said abilities in young witches and wizards beginning at age eleven to age seventeen. We hope that you will give our school great consideration. Please await further letter(s) regarding Hogwarts._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

Immediately her parents looked at her. She looked right back.

"Is this why I can do strange things? Things that the other kids can't"

"Yes dear" her mother pulled her into a gentle hug. She motioned for Gwen's father to join as well and soon the whole family was in a loving embrace, Gwen, her mother, her father and her sister, Ellen.

"I'm a witch then? How could you have known? I mean, _you _aren't. Are you?"

"No" her father answered, glancing at his wife. They were sure that it was not the time to explain the war to Gwen. Explain Martha's death. The awful truth of the evil of some magic's could upset Gwen and keep her from reaching her full potential. And so they hid the truth. "All those things you could do, did you think we didn't notice, dear. Of course we did. And what other explanation is there but magic. We also have this letter."

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)**

_Dear Miss Montgomery,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall (Deputy Headmistress)_

A long and emotional conversation ensued then, the length of which determined that as much as they would miss her and as scared as she was to go, Hogwarts would be the best place for Gwen. The family dried their tears and thought about how much longer they had. April 3rd. They had approximately five months left before she was off.

"I suppose I should write my acceptance and… send it by owl?"

Her mother chuckled. "You could use the owl that delivered both of your letters. He's sitting on the front lawn."

"All right…."

_Dear Ms. McGonagall,_

_I was pleased to receive your letters and would absolutely love to go to Hogwarts. I hope that this letter is sufficient acceptance and I will make sure to have all of the necessary items for September 1._

_Guinevere Montgomery_

Gwen sent the letter off with the owl that had delivered her acceptance and watched as the powerful creature soared through the sky, bearing the key to her now unsure future. Where would this magic take her? What sorts of people would she meet at her new school?

She glanced quickly at her list of equipment and was shocked to find that it contained things such as robes, wands and cauldrons. Where on earth, let alone London, was she to find these things? As if by, well, magic, the owl returned and deposited one final letter before leaving again.

After skimming the letter, Gwen reported back to her parents excitedly that she could shop for all of her magical items in London. And so, on July 31 they drove down many streets to get to the location of the gateway to the magical shopping hub known as Diagon Alley.

The Montgomery's got out of their car and began walking down the street. Suddenly, Gwen froze. She was standing facing the microscopic gap between the book store and the record store. "What are you looking at, sis?" Ellen ran up to stand beside her focused older sister.

"_The Leaky Cauldron!_ Cauldron! That must be the gateway Ms. McGonagall was talking about. We have to go into that pub."

As she spoke, Gwen noticed the her family was looking at her with a strange and doubtful expression on their faces. With a gasp she realised that they couldn't see it, only she could. _It must be my magic! _she thought in horror.

"Honey, we can't see it. Can you?"

"Yeah Gwen. Is it really there?" Ellen looked up at her father when she asked the question, hoping to get a rational answer from him like she always did.

"Yes. Yes it is really there and I can see it. I suppose you can't because you're not magic. I-I think I have to go….alone. If you can't see it, maybe it isn't wise for you to try and enter. I can handle this, mum, dad, Ellen, I'm truly fine. Really!"

And so, with concerned and protective expressions, Moira and Jeffery Montgomery told their eldest daughter that they wouldn't leave the street and for her to wait by the Jeep when she came out.

Gwen shoved the door to The Leaky Cauldron open and stepped inside. She felt her eyes struggle to adjust to the dim light. The pub was very… unkempt. There was a man standing in the darkest corner of the room. He was pale and nervous looking, was wearing a turban and appeared to be stuttering a great deal as he muttered to himself.

A couple of witches sat on either side of a table on one side of the room, casting half-hearted spells over several empty sherry glasses. There was a group of several witches and wizards looking at their hands and whispering rapidly. Gwen caught only snatches of their conversation: "...shook my hand three times...sort of young maybe...you-know-who might stay away...Potter is back" She understood none of it.

The bartender was an old, bald man who was rubbing glasses that appeared as if they would never be clean. Along side him, several shot glasses of various sizes were putting themselves away above the counter. He looked up as she entered and quickly stopped what he was doing.

"Young lady, may I help you?" the bartender peered over the counter at Gwen.

"Um, yes. I'm Guinevere Montgomery. I'm, er, looking for Diagon Alley…?"

"Ah, a new Hogwarts student. I'm Tom. I run this here Leaky Cauldron. Do you know how to get to Diagon Alley on your own?"

"Um, no. Sorry."

"Alright, I'll get it."

Gwen followed Tom through the back of the pub and towards an ancient looking stone wall. Two stones near the middle were farther into the wall than the others. She watched as Tom pulled out what appeared to be a wand and tapped on the stones while reciting "Two up….three across….there we go Guinevere. Diagon Alley."

She stared in wonder as the brocks began to shift and move. They spun themselves around and opened up a huge doorway, big enough for even the tallest of wizards and wide enough for several people to walk side-by-side. Though she knew she should have expected something this amazing, it came as a wonderful surprise as she watched the bricks find their final places.

Blinking up at the bartender, Gwen smiled and then turned nervously to enter Diagon Alley as the wall closed up behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I deleted the Prologue because it was useless and awfully written. I merely included what I wanted to say in this chapter. Enjoy.**

**I'm doing this as fast as I can. It's satifying to write this story, one I've dreamed of for so long. It's really too bad nobody's reading this... **

The place was absolutely packed. There were stores lined up side-by-side with no room in between. Gwen had to fight just for space to move. None of that mattered to her - all she could see were the wonders in front of her.

There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Gwen had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon and everything else you could possibly dream up.

Every person seemed to be wearing robes. She realised with a start that this was the apparel of witches and wizards. Her clothing stuck out of the crowd here. This was confirmed when she got several judgemental stares from haughty looking adults with family crests embroidered on their robes. "_Muggle"_ she heard them whisper as they passed. The word sounded like gibberish to Gwen but their tone of voice made their meaning very clear. She did not belong.

On her right were several kids her own age or younger with their noses pressed up against a glass. They were admiring what appeared to be a glossy, fancy broom. As she neared the window, she overheard them talking about how it was the _Nimbus 2000_ and the fastest racing broom yet. She spent a good five minutes admiring the item, amazed by idea of it.

There were carts set up all down the street. She heard vendors advertising their pumpkin juice and gagged. She simply _despised _pumpkins. Another was selling lie detecting machines and amulets to ward off dark magic.

As she continued walking, looking for a shop in which to buy any of her supplies, she was cut off by a large man exiting a shop. When she thought large, she meant twice as tall as a regular man and at least three times as wide. Following him was a young, timid boy with jet black hair that wouldn't stay in place and clothes that looked just like hers - quite normal. He was carrying a satchel full of what appeared to be coins. All Gwen could make out was the shape of the contents. He looked up and tugged on the man's sleeve before asking a question. After obtaining his answer, the boy looked up the street and saw Gwen. He apparently registered her aloneness and her clothes because he was immediately set at ease and even chanced a smile at her, which she returned with a cock of her head and a huge grin. That was the first time she had felt comfortable in her new environment and she quickly ran to catch up.

"Um e-excuse me" she mumbled, pulling on the giant man's sleeve, just as the boy had done.

He clearly couldn't hear her from way up where he was because he didn't respond and he just kept moving. The boy glanced at her, clearly surprised that she had come over and he too looked up at the man, waiting to see if he would respond. When he didn't, he pulled on his sleeved quite hard and hollered "HAGRID!"

Then the man came too and he looked down, noticing Gwen for the first time. "Well yer a new face. A firs' year at Hogwarts, shoppin' are you?"

"Well yes, and I was wondering if you knew where I could buy my things?" She pulled out her wallet and the man looked confused for a moment before recognition crossed his face. The boy looked almost sympathetic and quickly shook his head, waiting for the man to explain her dilemma to the clueless girl.

"Muggle money? You can't buy anything' with that here. You'll have ter exchange it at Gringotts"

"Gringotts?"

The boy quickly intervened. "Hagrid, I don't think she knows. I think she grew up Muggle - like me. You'll have to give her more info than that. Can't we go with her?"

Gwen glanced up from her shoes long enough to smile at him. He looked to be genuinely happy to try and help. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. "Sorry Harry, but we can't. I gotta deliver the - uh - _package_ to Professor Dumbledore as soon as possible. We can't help you today miss."

"Th-that's alright. Really. I can do it. I'll be perfectly fine to figure it out. But could you please tell me where to buy these things?"

Hagrid looked the girl up and down. She was small, just taller than Harry, but then again she was only eleven. Sometimes she would lapse into a scared little shell and when that happened she tended to stutter. However, he could see that she was a tough nut and a charismatic little witch. Her hair was the big tip off that she knew just who she was and Hagrid made special note to make sure she found her way fine when she got off the train.

She held her list up to him and he marked off all of the stores that carried her supplies:

_UNIFORM _**- Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions**

_COURSE BOOKS - _**Flourish and Blotts**

_WAND - _**Ollivander's Wand Shop**

_CAULDRON - _**Potage's Cauldron Shop**

_GLASS/CRYSTAL PHIALS - _**Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment**

_TELESCOPE - _**Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment**

_BRASS SCALES - _**Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment**

_OWL/CAT/TOAD - _**Magical Menagerie / Eeylops Owl Emporium**

****You can buy your quills and parchment at Amanuensis Quills****

"An' Gringotts is the big, white building straight ahead. Jus' ask to exchange Muggle money and they'll take care of it." Hagrid bent down and handed the little girl a peppermint humbug from his pocket before straightening up and telling Harry that they had best be getting on their way.

"Oh…well thank you Hagrid. I really appreciate your help. I'd better be on my way as well. I've got a lot of things to buy." Gwen looked up at Hagrid and in that instant, he saw the same thing he had seen in Harry, something he hadn't seen in forever - the mutual feeling of friendship. He felt sort of bad that he couldn't stay and help the little Muggle-born find her way but the Stone was immediate business.

"I'm Harry, by the way. Harry Potter." He flinched slightly, waiting for the inevitable reaction he had been receiving all day from every witch or wizard he had spoken his name aloud to.

"And I'm Guinevere Montgomery. But I much prefer Gwen, if you don't mind. I suppose I'll be seeing you at Hogwarts then?"

"I suppose."

"Well, goodbye Harry"

"Bye Gwen"

She marched off, trekking in the direction of Gringotts with her head held high. Harry stared after her for a moment. She was the only one so far that didn't know who he was and he sort of liked that. She was also what he considered to be his first friend ever. He secretly hoped that she would be in his classes before shaking himself from his thoughts and running to catch up with Hagrid, who had continued towards Flourish and Blott's to buy Harry's books.

As Gwen entered Gringotts, she noticed a chubby boy about her age and an older woman with a ridicules peacock feather hat. Though the woman seemed intimidating, the boy looked rather nice and she ventured over with the intent to learn more of the magical world.

"Um hello." she calmed her nerves and capped her stutter.

"Hello dear." The old lady pointed her finger at the boy one last time and then turned to Gwen with a pleasant smile on her face.

"I'm s-sorry to bother you but I've been called Muggle-born and I have a few questions if you don't m-mind?" she internally punched her brains out for stuttering and sounding like a complete idiot. She glanced at the boy and gave him a nervous half-smile, which he returned with a rather shocked expression.

"Yes. Of course. I completely understand."

"What is a Muggle? And what is Wizarding money?"

"Oh yes. A Muggle is a non-magical person. You may call them mortals. And Wizarding money is rather confusing but you look like a rather bright girl so I suppose you can follow."

"Yes ma'am. I think I can."

"Here. I've got one of each here. Gold one is a Galleon, silver's a Sickle and the bronze is a Knut. There twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. I do hope I helped."

"Yes. Thank you. I really appreciate that."

Twenty-some minutes later she exited the large bank with a pouch full of the alien money and a new vault in her name. She planned to deposit any extra money she had left over in there and would gradually fill her vault with emergency money. When she got home, she would start by cashing her university savings. She wouldn't be needing it where she was going.

Gwen looked down at the first item on her list - robes. A little while later she was fitted with several neat school uniforms. She was told that her ties and scarves would be supplied once she was sorted into a House.

After learning of all the Houses, she sort of hoped for Ravenclaw. Of course, it wouldn't really matter where she was put, as long as she was at Hogwarts.

She then collected her course books with the intent of reading them later. They all seemed fascinating and she had almost wanted to buy a couple years up as well. However, she didn't want to turn into an egg-head and she supposed that first year texts would be enough to keep her occupied for a length of time.

As she purchased the rest of her things, the truth of what was happening to her began to sink in. She was a witch and she was going to spend nine months of the year for the next seven years away from her family. She was about to go to a boarding school that would teach her all about magic and it wasn't a dream or a fantasy. It was real.

Once she had the rest of her things gathered, Gwen looked at her list and was pleased to see that she was ready to purchase her wand. As she neared Ollivander's Wand Shop, she double checked that it was the correct place on her list. Unfortunately, one Harry Potter wasn't paying attention either and they crashed into each other.

"I'm sorry. Sorry. Are you all right then?" he glanced down at the girl he had bumped into, expecting her to lash out at him harshly for his clumsy ways. He realised with a giant smile that it was Gwen that he had knocked over. Despite his delight that he had met up with her again it only made him feel worse about causing her to fall.

"Oh, perfectly alright I suppose. It was my fault I'm sure. It always is. Can't even walk straight without tripping every minute. I have to go and I guess you have to too and I'm sorry for bothering you" She placed her hand lightly on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile before continuing towards the wand shop.

And just like that, their second meeting came to an abrupt end.

Ollivander's Wand Shop was dingy and smelled of hundreds of years of dust. Guinevere entered the shop timidly, creeping up to the man behind the counter. He looked as if he could be as old as the world itself and she hardly doubted he was.

"Well, you look vaguely familiar," his voice sounded as a door that had been left unopened for too long would, creaky and fragile. "I must have serviced someone or another of your relatives. Martha Montgomery perhaps? The name, does it ring familiar to you?" He leaned over the counter to peer at her and Gwen was suddenly worried that he would topple over.

"Y-yes sir, Mr. Ollivander. She was my aunt. How would you know her?" Her stutter had returned and she desperately hoped he hadn't noticed yet.

"You didn't know she was a witch then. Ah, judging by your expression, you didn't. Tragic it was, killed in the war. The War against… Him. But I am unsure if you would know the battles of which I am speaking. Perhaps not, but it is not my tale to reveal. A young Hogwarts student no doubt. They will explain all when you arrive. Your name?"

"Er….um….yes, of course….Guinevere Montgomery. My-my wand sir? May I purchase it now?"

"Hmm, of course….then let's begin…Holly perhaps, with unicorn hair… no… then vine wood with Thestral hair…no…"

Each wand failed and failed, rejecting poor Gwen's attempts to use them and some not responding at all. The little girl had been through too much already, learning she was a witch and traversing Diagon Alley alone. But finally Ollivander felt that sense of peace he always felt when he held a child's proper wand in his hand.

As she took it in her hand, it seemed to hum with power. She felt a tingle of magical electricity run up her wrist and into her shoulder.

"Blackthorn, with dragon heartstring. Eight and one-quarter inches. Fairly flexible but not bendy. This is a powerful wand, made for strong enchantments. You must be destined for great things. Use it well."

"But may I not have an easier wand? This is all too grown up for me." Gwen felt intimidated by the dominant wand.

"No, the wand chooses the wizard, or the witch and that wand has chosen you. No other wand will obey you like this one, no other wand will serve you like this wand and no other wand will you perform so well with."

And with that, Ollivander took his payment and disappeared into the depths of his shop and the young witch left, holding her new wand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: As a quick note, I own the character of Gwen and nothing else. All aspects of this fanfiction belong soley to J.K. Rowling.**

**A/N: This chapter is kind of long but still I think it's my best one yet. It's here that you begin to see the real changes happen in the storyline. Also, could YOU PLEASE REVIEW! I haven't had one review and it makes me impossibly sad. I mean geez! I even enable anonymous reviews...**

Eyes were swimming with tears and loving embraces were given as Gwen said her final goodbyes to her family. She had her ticket but had yet to look at it. She gave a final wave as her parents and sister departed in their minivan. Beside her was a trolley loaded with her luggage. She had several large trunks full of clothes, books, supplies and other sorts of things.

Glancing down at her ticket, she was quite shocked to find that it read_ PLATFORM 9¾ - 11:00._ She ventured forward slowly, knowing that she only had ten minutes or so to get onto the platform. She passed by platform 9 and started toward platform 10.

Suddenly, she saw what she had secretly been hoping for - a familiar face.

"Harry!"

Now she had read all of the books she had purchased such as _Modern Magical History _and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts._ She now knew all about the Wizarding War and the death of her aunt. She also knew all about who Harry was. He was Harry Potter. He was a legend, a superstar. However, when she had met him, he had been just Harry and so in her mind, he would always be just Harry.

He turned his head and his whole face lit up. "GWEN!"

"Do you know how to get on-"

"No, sorry. I'm Muggle-born, remember?"

"How are we going to find out then if-"

"-packed with Muggles of course-"

Harry and Gwen turned just in time to see a group of redheads pushing several trolley's packed high with luggage dash on past them. Looking at each other, they whispered in unison "Muggles!"

They followed behind the family closely, making sure not to lose them. Soon they were just off to the side, near the wall between the platforms 9 and 10. The mother motioned forward and two identical twin boys raced forward and disappeared, melting into the wall. Both children were shocked at what they were seeing. Harry came to first and jumped forward to talk to the woman he assumed to be the mother, trying not to sound too embarrassed or shy as he motioned for Gwen to come with him.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Hello dear. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too."

Standing slightly behind her was a young boy their age. He was tall and gangly with freckles, big hands and feet and a long nose. He smiled and waved and they smiled back, too nervous for conversation.

"Yes…" Harry wasn't quite sure how to continue.

Gwen jumped in in Harry's stead, "The thing is….we don't know how to…how to get…get on…"

"How to get onto the platform? Well that's easy. Simply run at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. You'll go right through. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash."

"Er, okay"

"Umm…I don't know about this…" Gwen was awfully afraid of injury. When she was eight, she had broken her arm falling out of an apple tree. Ever since then she made certain that things were safe before doing them. She didn't like climbing much and sports weren't her thing. In fact, she even tripped when she ran. She was quite clumsy.

Harry took solid hold of his trolley and positioned it in front of him. He then proceeded to grab Gwen's hand and pulled her along behind him. Together, they ran at the wall and were sent to Platform 9¾.

A scarlet steam engine greeted the two of them as the pulled themselves the rest of way through. All around them students were greeting their friends from the past years. Parents and siblings kissed their children goodbye. People boarded the train, dragging their luggage behind them.

They found an empty compartment near the back of the train. They then attempted to load their trunks into the overhead compartments

"Want a hand?" It was one of the redhead twins they'd followed through the barrier. He had noticed that Gwen hadn't even gotten her trunk off the ground yet.

"Yes please. And could you help him too?" Gwen motioned towards Harry.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

Suddenly there were two of them and they were heaving two students worth of trunks into the overhead compartments.

"Thanks" panted Harry, who had been helping all he could.

"No problem" said Fred

"Anything for a lady in distress!" George bowed mockingly at Gwen resulting in a sharp rap on the head.

"I'm Gwen, by the way. And _you're _George and _you're _Fred"

"Right you are and-"

"What's that?" Fred cut George off as he caught sight of Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey. Are you-"

"He _is_. Aren't you?"

"What" Although Gwen had managed to follow the twin's crazy conversation, she could see that Harry was getting a headache.

"_Harry Potter"_

Oh, him. I mean, yes, I am"

The twin's just gawked at him for a while before running off to say goodbye to their mother.

Harry watched from the window as the redheaded family said their heartfelt goodbyes. He could see that the twins were being excessively cheeky and their little sister - Ginny was it? - was upset that all her brothers were leaving.

Gwen plopped herself down on the seat opposite Harry and kicked her feet up beside him. He smiled as she stuck her wand behind her ear and cracked open her _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. _

"Come on Harry, just a quick quiz. Please?"

"Alright. Where do you find a bezoar?"

"In the…the stomach of a goat. Or in the potion class cupboard." she laughed at her own joke.

"What's the difference between, um, monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"There isn't one" she smiled confidently. She returned her text to her trunk and began to read _Magical Theory_ as Harry entertained himself with Hedwig, his new owl..

"Where do I go Fred? Everywhere is full!"

"Well, dearest little brother, how about in there? There's only two of them in there Ronnikins!"

"But that's Harry Potter in there with his… girlfriend? I don't want to be a third wheel…"

"Too bad." And with that, Fred Weasley slid open the compartment door and shoved his little brother inside.

"Um, hi." Ron felt really awkward when contemplating which seat to take in the event they let him join them. On one hand, the girl was very pretty and looked fairly pleasant but on the other, Harry was Harry Potter and he didn't want to offend him if she was his girlfriend.

"Hi!" the girl spoke first, looking up from the book she was reading. "Care to join us?" She could sense his nerves and set out to put him at ease.

"Thank you. Um, are you two - I mean - would you mind if…"

"Oh, no. We're just friends. Plus, we're eleven. No, I wouldn't mind if you sat beside me. But neither would Harry, I don't suppose, if you'd rather sit by a boy."

Ron slowly sat down next to Harry, glancing quickly at Gwen's feet in between them.

"Ooh, sorry!" she swung them around so that she was taking up the whole bench.

"I'm Ron. Ron Weasley. And are you really Harry Potter - I mean, do you have the scar?" Ron felt like a stupid fan asking such a question but he really had to know.

"Yeah." Harry lifted up his overgrown hair and showed the lightning shaped cut on his forehead.

"NO WAY! You never showed me that. And I thought I was best friend. You prat." Gwen quickly gave Harry a light kick on the leg and he laughed along with her. He made a show of sticking his forehead in her face so that she could see.

Gwen glanced up at Ron and gave a meaningful glance to Harry. Soon, they were into a long discussion about their families and their siblings and Muggle things on the part of Harry and Gwen.

Around half past twelve a plump witch pushing a cart came by to ask if they wanted any sweets. Ron replied that he already had four corn beef sandwiches. Harry quickly offered to buy several of everything and soon the three friends were surrounded by all the candy you could imagine.

They chatted on about all the silly looking candies. There were chocolate frogs and liquorice wands and all sorts of other things. Ron opened up a pouch of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans. He explained that there really was every flavour. Gwen, Ron and Harry became nervous as they each took turns eating the jelly beans.

"Bleeeeaach - see? Sprouts" Ron looked thoroughly disgusted.

"My turn. Ha! Peppermint." Gwen stuck her blue bean tinted tongue out at the jealous boys.

"What's this grey one?" Harry nibbled the end of a funny one neither Gwen nor Ron would touch. It ended up being Pepper and Gwen tossed him a water bottle as his ears began steaming slightly.

Gwen fell in love with the chocolate frogs but wouldn't touch them while they were still jumping. She turned her head as Harry or Ron bit off the heads and then she would eat now still chocolate.

Suddenly there was a knock at the compartment door and the chubby boy Gwen had seen at Gringotts came in. He looked positively miserable.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

They all shook their heads and that really set him off "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

Gwen could see he was about to cry. "Oh, it'll be fine. I go look with you"

"Would you?" The boy gave a loud sniff as he wiped at his eyes. Gwen stood up and began looking in the compartments and down the halls. After a couple of minutes she found him in with a bunch of Ravenclaw third-years.

"I'VE FOUND HIM!" Gwen raced to find the boy and quickly gave him back.

"Oh thank you! I never thought I'd see Trevor again. I'm Neville, by the way. Neville Longbottom."

"And I'm Gwen. Gwen Montgomery. Nice to meet you." They shook hands and then went their separate ways. Gwen returned to her compartment just in time to see a bushy-haired witch already dressed in her school robes sitting in her seat while she chattered on about all the books she'd read and all the things she knew of Hogwarts.

"Oh! I'm sorry. Is this you're seat? I suppose it is. I'm Hermione Jean Granger. And you are…."

"Guinevere Alice Montgomery" She shook the girl's outstretched hand, smiling warmly at her. It would really be nice to have a girl for a friend.

"You all should probably get on your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

"Alright, just get out while we change. You too Gwen." Ron stood up and shooed the two girls out. Moments later, they switched places and Gwen got into her school robes.

"So what's your Quidditch team?"

Gwen and Harry glanced at each other in confusion just as a gang of mean-looking boys walked in. Harry's eyes immediately hardened, though not quite as much as Ron's. The blonde boy - the clear leader of the other two thugs - sneered as he looked at Ron. He seemed almost expectant as he observed Harry and then his gaze dropped to Gwen.

She was taller than he was and had stood up. He hand was on her hip and her eyebrow was arched in suspicion. Her nose was slightly scrunched as she took in the two boys behind the leader. She could take them. Or…maybe.

"So it's true then. Harry's Potter on the train?"

"Yes. That's me." Harry glanced at the boys behind the pale boy with the blonde hair. They looked mean and thickset but fairly stupid.

"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Gwen heard Ron snigger and rolled her eyes at his stupidity. This was not the right boy to set off.

"Think my name's funny do you? And no need to ask yours, what with the red hair, pasty complexion and hand-me-down….everything. You're a Weasley. But _you._" Draco turned to Gwen, eyeing her new robes, important posture and dark, regal style wand. "I don't believe we've met. Do I know your family?"

"Perhaps" Gwen clearly remembered that day in Diagon Alley when she had fist learned that Muggle-Borns were _not _respected. "Though I think not. Montgomery. Gunievere Montgomery." She imitated his tone of voice exactly and Ron and Harry had to stifle their laughter, else they would ruin the sarcastic effect.

"Montgomery…hmmm. Well, you and Potter will soon find many Wizarding families to be better than others. I can help you. You wouldn't want to go off making friends with the wrong sort." Ron's fist clenched.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

Draco didn't go red at Harry's comment but a pale pink tinge appeared on his white cheeks. "Be careful there Potter. Unless you are politer, you'll end up like your parents. They didn't know what was good for them either. Making friends with the Weasley's and Hagrid, it'll rub off on you."

"Say that again" Ron stood up, unable to contain his anger.

"Going to fight us, eh?" Malfoy took a step forward.

"Unless you leave now." Harry's expression darkened.

"Well, we don't feel like leaving, do we boys? We've eaten all our food and you seem to still have some." Malfoy reached for a chocolate frog.

Harry snatched it away, "Get out Malfoy."

"Alright then. Crabbe, Goyle."

Before Malfoy's goons could even move, Gwen noticed his hand reaching into his robes, clearly for his wand. "No wands you slug!" Gwen stepped forward and hit Malfoy square in the nose. She heard a small crack and knew immediately that she had left some damage. She smiled in satisfaction as he looked at her, shocked. He ran out of the compartment, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

Harry and Ron just looked at her. They sat down slowly just as a voice echoed over a magical intercom, "We will be arriving in five minutes time. Please leave all luggage on the train and it will be transported to the school separately.

Slowly, the compartment door opened again and there stood Hermione Granger. "You haven't been fighting have you? Oh boys are so stupid. I saw Malfoy up the hall with a bloody nose and he came from this direction. You'll be in trouble before you even get there."

"Don't worry Hermione, we weren't fighting!" Ron looked very smug.

"Oh good! I was worried that the boys would cause problems but now I see that-"

"We haven't been fighting. Gwen has!" Ron was positively gleeful that Malfoy had gotten what was coming to him. Finally.

"Oh Gwen you'll get detention or expelled or in some other form of awful trouble. This is terrible and I thought we were to be such friends…"

"Don't worry Hermione. Malfoy would never admit to being bested by a girl. I think I'm safe."

"Oh…good!"

The train bumped to a stop and Hermione stayed in their compartment as it did. Gwen, Harry and Ron stuffed their pockets with the rest of the sweets and glanced at each other nervously. It was too dark outside too see anything and they almost held hands as they left the train. Almost, but not quite.

As they walked along, they suddenly heard a loud voice calling "Firs' years. Firs' year over here!"

Gwen and Harry immediately recognised him as Hagrid and Ron knew from his parents telling him about the Hogwarts groundskeeper. They moved over towards him. All of the first years loaded into tiny boats docked along a river as Hagrid instructed "Four to a boat".

Harry, Gwen, Ron and Hermione all loaded into a boat for the ride. In the boat directly beside their's was Neville, a boy who proclaimed his name to be "Seamus Finnigan, pleased to be meetin' ya", a shy little girl who had squeaked "Hannah Abbott" when asked who she was and a boy that Harry and Gwen had seen on the platform, boarding the train while his mother called after him "Justin Flinch-Fletchley, you remember to write to me every week!"

"Right, everyone in? FORWARD!" At Hagrid's call the little boats began moving over the glassy surface of the lake. Eventually Hagrid yelled, "Head's down" and everyone ducked. It was at this point that Neville realised that his toad had once again disappeared.

Suddenly, the castle came into view. It was pale and dark in the moonlight and was glowing ever so slightly. The windows all over the towers had lights in them a shone a warm yellow. There were an infinite number of turrets and towers and hundreds of acres of grounds.

In a daze, all of the students dismounted the boats and walked to the castles entrance, and upon the large wooden door, Hagrid knocked three times.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Kay, I hope you like it. And could at least one person review? It's getting embaressing.**

The door immediately swung open and a tall witch with black hair and a stern face stood there. She surveyed the students before looking at Hagrid. "Good Evening Hagrid"

"Evenin' Professor McGonagall. I've got the firs' years for ye."

"Thank you Hagrid. Come this way students."

The awestruck eleven year-olds followed behind as she led them through the grand hall and onto a set of stairs. At the top of the stairs was a pair of giant doors and behind them a low rumble of conversation could be heard.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in you House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.

"The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."

Just then, Gwen noticed something hopping along near the bottom of Professor McGonagall's robes. It was Trevor. In a moment of headstrong excitement and stupidity, she called out quite loudly, "Neville look! It's Trevor!"

The both of them broke free of the crowd and jumped forward, diving at the frog. Gwen scooped him up and shoved him into Neville's hands as they both looked up sheepishly. Professor McGonagall looked more shocked and fascinated than angry. Of course, after a second, she composed herself in time to change her expression to one of disappointment. Gwen bit her lip and looked at Neville. He was turning quite red. She placed her hand on his and slowly backed into the mass of students. "S-sorry there Professor. Bit of impulse. Won't h-happen again."

The two of them ended up standing beside Harry who looked quite amused. Nudging Neville, Gwen giggled under her breath as she let go of his hand. It took Neville an extra minute to let go - no girl had ever paid him so much attention, nor been so nice to him - but she set him chuckling as well. This was all happening very quickly and quietly and it did not reach McGonagall's ears.

"Ahem. Now, the Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the entire school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can." With a subtle sweep of her robes, McGonagall opened the door. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

"How exactly do they sort us into our Houses?" Harry gulped, turning to Ron.

"Some sort of test I think. Fred said it hurts a lot but I think he was joking."

"Oh, don't be daft Ron, of course he was joking. I've met your bothers and I don't think they've said a serious thing in their life. What do you think Neville?" Gwen rolled her eyes as she struggled to talk over Hermione, who had turned to a couple a girls named Padma and Parvati Patil and was whispered rapidly and not so quietly about all the spells she'd learned and which ones she'd need.

"I don't know. Gran wouldn't tell me. Said surprises build character or something…"

The rest of the time they were quiet, feeling the tension in the room rise as everyone gradually fell silent, save for Hermione, who continued to talk of her research. Any second, the door would open again and the fatal Sorting Ceremony would begin. It would determine the rest of their Hogwarts education, who their friends would be, how they spent their time and what classes they had and with whom.

Gwen let out a shriek as a pale, transparent head popped up beside her feet. Pearly-white and floating, several ghost glided all over the hall, talking with one another and not noticing the petrified first years

"Forgive and forget, I say. We ought to give him a second chance" It was a fat little monk of a ghost who looked all together much too holy to go a-haunting.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say! What are you all doing here?"

The second ghost in the conversation, a royally dressed man with tights and ruffled everything suddenly noticed the children shaking in fear below him.

"New students! About to be sorted I suppose?" The Fat Friar smiled at everyone around him. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old House, you know."

"Move along now, the Sorting is about to begin." Obeying the sharp words of Professor McGonagall, the ghosts continued on through the opposite wall, disappearing from sight.

"Now everyone, form a line. Follow me now. Quickly!" Their order ended up being Seamus, Ron, Harry, Gwen, Neville, Hermione, Padma. The mass of students marched solemnly into the Great Hall.

It was such a splendid sight. The Hall was alight with thousands of candles suspended in the air by magic. The ceiling was clear and black, with many, many stars dotting it and a bright crescent moon hanging pale and mysterious overhead. Gwen heard Hermione whispering about how it was bewitched to look like the night sky. There were four long tables lying lengthwise down the room. Each table was set with hundreds of golden goblets and plates, and a student occupied each plate. There were some empty ones, clearly ready for the new arrivals, once they had been Sorted. The ghosts sat in and amongst the students of their old Houses to avoid being openly stared at. There was another table, this one facing the other four. There were older witches and wizards all along it - the professors. In the very center sat a man with a long, silver beard and half-moon spectacles. He was the Headmaster Dumbledore.

Suddenly, the procession came to a halt in front of a wooden stool. Upon the stool was the filthiest hat your ever likely to see. It looked very much like the hats that the students had been required to purchase only thousands of years older. The top of the hat slouched over with age and a cloud of dust seemed to hang around it. Nobody was quite sure what it was supposed to do but all of their thoughts were erased as they leaned forward to focus on the hat when it twitched with movement. Then, it did the most unlikely of things, it opened up an old flap of fabric like a mouth and began to sing. A gasp rang through the first years as they realised what was happening.

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a thinking cap!"_

The entire hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables before falling still.

"So we've just to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Harry smiled weakly. Gwen patted him on the shoulder and grinned at him reassuringly. She was nervous and she knew Harry was too. Of course, she couldn't show it.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long scroll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah!"

The little blonde girl shuffled to the stool and put on the hat. It fell right down her face before it shouted "HUFFLEFUFF!"

The happy looking table of students clapped and cheered and many gave her hugs as she sat down with her new House-mates.

The Sorting's began to flash by. None of Gwen's friends had early last names, the first being Granger, Hermione. She was Sorted into Gryffindor and Gwen heard Ron groan. She leaned around Harry to give him a good slap on the arm and a reproachful look.

"Longbottom, Neville" Neville didn't move for the first second, he just stood there, shaking. Gwen looked at Professor McGonagall and then a Neville. She gave him a good shove to get him out of line. In the process, he dropped Trevor again and Gwen bent over and picked him up. She watched painfully as Neville tripped on the way to the stool. "GRYFFINDOR!" It finally shouted and Neville was so pleased that he ran off still wearing it and had to go back to return it to the next child.

"Malfoy, Draco" Malfoy walked forward with a swagger, turning his head only to give a smirk to Gwen and Harry. He sat down on the stool and the hat had barely touched his head when it yelled, "SLYTHERIN!" Proudly, Malfoy went to join his friends.

"Montgomery, Guinevere" Gwen walked forward. Sitting on the stool, the last thing she saw before the brim of the hat covered her eyes was both Neville and Malfoy watching her intently.

"Hmm, very Slytherin I see. Slick and cunning you are. Good wit and an incredible liar. However, your intellect knows no bounds. I Sorted another girl like you only moments ago. But you have good interests at heart. So Hufflepuff could be the place for you. I see you have no clear preference and so I'll put you in Slythe-what's this? Oh my… well this changes everything. GRYFFINDOR!"

The hall stayed silent for a moment before the regular applause could be heard. However, all of the professors were looking at her quite curiously. They had never heard the Sorting Hat change its mind. They had never heard it contradict itself before. Quite curious.

Taking the hat off her head, Gwen walked slowly down to the Gryffindor table feeling very confused. Should she be in Slytherin instead? She looked over at the Slytherin table and noticed that Malfoy seemed to be deep in thought. She picked up speed as she neared the table and Neville and Hermione stood up to greet her. She ran right into a surprised Neville's arms for a hug before scooping Hermione in too. They both smiled at her, though Neville was positively beaming.

She shook the hand of Percy Weasley, a Gryffindor Prefect, and earned herself a couple of very self-satisfied, mischievous grins from the Weasley twins. Quickly, she handed Trevor back to a grateful Neville before turning back to watch the remainder of the Sorting Ceremony.

"Potter, Harry" The room fell absolutely silent before whispers of "Potter did she say?" and "_The _Harry Potter?" could be heard.

Gwen saw how nervous all of the whispering was making him. He looked as if the fate of the world was riding on his shoulders and he was deathly pale. In an attempt to cheer him up, she called out, "Let's go Harry! Woohoo!" It was pathetic and silly she knew but it got a fleeting smile out of him.

It took the Sorting Hat a very long time to place him and after what seemed like forever, it finally yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry smiled very wide and the entire table went bonkers. Percy Weasley began insisting on shaking Harry's hand again and again and the twins started yelling "We got Potter! We got Potter!" at the top of their lungs. As she pulled out of her hug with Harry, she turned to them and stuck out her tongue.

"And when I was Sorted I didn't get a 'We got Guinevere! We got Guinevere!'?" she threw her hand to her chest in mock hurt and Fred and George looked at each other. They liked this girl.

"I'm afraid we may have offended, brother of mine."

"Yes how awful and right after her Sorting!"

"I feel awful. Simply terrible."

"Yes! Oh look! Ickle Ronnikins is about to be Sorted!"

Indeed he was. Just as George finished his sentence, McGonalgall called for "Weasley, Ronald". It took the Sorting hat but a moment to decide on "GRYFFINDOR!".

The entire Wealsey company cheered, although it was only the three of them and Ron walked over to the table in a daze. He sat down before Gwen could even offer a hug and looked at her as though he had known she would try for it.

"Well done Ron, excellent." said Percy pompously.

The last child to be Sorted, a "Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin and the whole Hall fell silent as McGonagall took away the scroll and the hat just as Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet. He looked absolutely pleased to have all of the students back again and his speech confirmed that thought.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

And just like that there was food on the table. They all filled their plates, once for every two times Ron did, and the food truly was amazing.

Harry leaned across the table to Gwen once to offer some roast beef.

"Oh, no thank you Harry."

"Are you sure? It's so good."

"I'm sure. I'm a vegetarian actually."

"Really."

Harry noticed for the first time that the only things on Gwen's plate were potatoes and peas.

It was during this mealtime that the group got to know Nearly Headless Nick, or Sir Nicholas. He showed them his almost severed head and wished them good luck on the House Championship.

Then the desserts appeared. All the spare room Gwen had from her meatless meal was filled with pies and tarts and ice cream. She was actually quite fond of (or rather mad about) ice cream.

They group spoke about their families. Seamus spoke of the nasty shock his Muggle father had gotten when he realised that his new wife, Seamus' mother, was a witch. Neville spoke of how his family thought he was a Squib and that his uncle had always done horrible things to him to get him to show his magical ability. They turned to Gwen and she explained about how both parents were Muggle but her aunt had been a witch and both of her great-grandmothers had been witches as well.

Percy and Hermione were busy discussing lessons but eventually Gwen managed to drag her into their conversation. Then, right then, Harry was clutching his scar. Everyone was concerned and then Harry asked about the teacher next to Professor Quirrell, the man Gwen had seen in the leaky cauldron. Apparently, his name was Professor Snape and he taught Potions but wanted Defence Against the Dark Arts, the subject Quirrell taught.

Dumbledore stood up once more, speaking of how the Forbidden Forest was, well, forbidden, how magic in between classes was not allowed and how Quidditch trials would b held later on. But then:

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

It sounded awful but he looked as serious as the grave.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" He sounded quite excited about this and with a flick of his wand, a twisting, gold ribbon became the words. Everyone sang to a different tune:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Wether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with fillinf_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us something worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

_The last people to finish were the Wealey twins, who were singing to a funeral march._

They were all sent off to bed then. Gwen remembered having sticks thrown at her by something named Peeves, a portrait of a fat lady that was the entrance to their common room, with the password Caput Draconis, and stumbling to bed, leaning a bit on Harry until she went into her own dormitory to change and go to sleep.

**A/N: About Malfoy, he dosen't know Gwen, all he knows is that she's pretty and imtimidating, the only girl to ever stand up to him and she should be Slytherin. Also, if you remember correctly, the little boy that got bitten by Fenir Greyback in the books had two sisters. They were the Montgomery sisters. So Gwen doesn't have a Mudblood name either.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to my first reviewers! As a side note, please know that I've been updating a great deal but I will probably be updating only once per week from now on. Or once every 4-9 days to be exact. Also, any questions or concerns you have will be adressed in the author's notes so leave them in your review. Any suggestions you have will be taken into account and I am always open to private messages it you wish to speak with me. Thank you. Enjoy.**

The next morning was so full of fuss. As they walked anywhere, students around them would whisper about Harry and try to point him out to their friends. It was usually explained by "beside the girl with the hair." Once they passed a couple of other first years in the hallway - Lavender and Parvati, as Gwen remembered from the Sorting Ceremony - who were giggling about their plans to steal Harry Potter away from his "girlfriend".

There were one-hundred and forty-two staircases in the castle and they were all very confusing. Once, Harry and Ron had tried to force open a door that they thought Peeves had glued shut. When Gwen had walked by, she had quickly told them that it was in fact the third floor corridor. Grabbing onto them, she had pulled them away just as Filch - the caretaker - came storming up. They just missed him.

Another day, she and Harry had been running late. Ron had run ahead to talk to Seamus about Quidditch, a sport that Harry and Gwen knew very little about. Peeves, the school poltergeist, had been following them around for the past several minutes, pelting them with bits of chalk and pulling all of the rugs from under their feet. Luckily, as they passed a statue near the fourth floor corridor to the left, none other than George Weasley popped out a dragged them down a passageway that set them right outside their class. They ended up being the fifth people in the classroom. As they said their thank you's, he patted Gwen on the back and said, "Me 'n my brother have taken a liking to you kid. Watch out for Peeves next time though. I can't always help." And then he was gone.

They had Astronomy, History of Magic (which even Gwen thought dull), Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Flying and Potions.

In Transfiguration. McGonagall gave them quite a lecture about her behaviour tolerance. She had none. Soon they were set up turning matchsticks to needles. Hermione, of course, got hers done perfectly before the end of class and McGonagall had no problem showing that off. However, Gwen was praised for making her matchstick slightly pointy and very shiny, though not quite silver.

At breakfast that Friday, Harry got a note from Hagrid inviting him to have tea with him around three pm and to "bring Gwen with you". She smiled at Harry before continuing on eating her eggs. Just then, eight owls came flying down carrying a very large wrapped package for Gwen. They set it down gently on the bench next to her, in between her and Neville, before stealing a piece toast to share, or fight over, and flying off.

Harry, Neville, Ron and Hermione (who tried to pretend she wasn't watching over the top of her Potions text) all leaned in to see the contents of such a large, clunky package. When she opened it, it was revealed to be several cases of some bottled drink called Perrier.

"I don't like pumpkin." explained Gwen "and so when I wrote my mum and told her about the pumpkin juice she must've sent this to me. It's my favourite. I'll have to get an older student to cast a cooling charm on it though, as it's meant to be refrigerated…"

Later that day, Potions class caused quite a ruffle with her group of friends. When they arrived, Professor Snape took attendance, pausing at Harry's name to comment "Ah, yes. Harry Potter. Our new _celebrity._" Malfoy began sniggering but stopped immediately when Gwen shot him the coldest look he'd ever seen from a non-Slytherin.

Snape rattled on about all he could teach them, the beauty of the art of Potions. It was disturbing, the way he talked of it. Then, he turned harshly to Harry. "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't know." Harry squirmed as Snape sneered at him.

"Tut, tut - clearly fame isn't everything." But then he caught sight of the way Gwen rolled her eyes at Harry. "Perhaps you know, Miss Montgomery?"

Gwen looked up at him. "A draught of living death, I do believe Professor"

"Learn from your companion, Potter. Now let's try again. Where would you look if I told you to find me bezoar?" Snape clearly didn't expect Harry to know.

"In the….stomach of a goat. Or more simply, the cupboard over there."

"I suppose you think yourself funny? Now then, what, pray tell, is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"There isn't one"

"I praise you, Mr. Potter, for your excellent abilities in showing off. Next time, you shouldn't crave the attention so. For your accurate answers, I will not take points away for your cheek, but I do not like to be toyed with." his eyes flashed across the room "as a general warning. Now copy that down!"

Snape then paired up the students to brew a potion to cure boils. Ron and Harry ended up together - most likely so that Snape could get a double session of bullying done in one go. Hermione was paired with Seamus and Gwen ended up with Neville.

Snape spent his entire class swooping about the room criticizing everything the Gryffindor's did and praising everything Malfoy accomplished.

Gwen was rummaging for a book when she noticed Neville preparing to put porcupine quills into the cauldron. "Neville, no!" Quickly, she knocked the quills out of the surprised boy's hands. His lip quivered slightly and she sighed as she pulled the cauldron off the fire. "I'm sorry, Neville. But you can't add the quills while the cauldron is still on the fire. It could be disastrous."

His eyes grew big and watery and Gwen squeezed his hand softly under the table in an attempt to make him feel better. Reassured, Neville went ahead and added the stewed horned slugs. They allowed it to simmer for a while longer and the potion turned a satisfying red, just as the book had told them it would when it was finished. Neville was about to pull the potion off the fire one final time when Gwen put her hand out to stop his movement.

"What if we left it to simmer a bit longer? It doesn't seem quite the right shade of red, do you think?"

And so they let it stay on the fire. Quickly, it turned a shade of pink that neither of them had been expecting. Gwen turned a similar colour as she stuttered an apology to Neville. "I'm s-sorry Neville. This is my fault. Honestly, I sh-shouldn't have even suggested leaving it to s-simmer…"

"No, Gwen it's okay. My potion would be non-existent if you hadn't stopped me from adding the quills. We're square."

Together, they poured a bit of the potion into a flask and sheepishly brought it up to the professor. "Hmmmm…how curious that this should happen. This shade of pink is precisely what the potion should be, though most expect it red. I guess you may be a prodigy, Montgomery. And as for you Longbottom, be lucky that you have a partner such as Montgomery and no disasters occurred today." He collected the rest of the flasks. "Potter! Weasley! Green shows that this brew is extremely premature and sloppily made. Minus two points from Gryffindor - one fore each of you!"

As the walked out of the dungeons, Harry was awfully depressed. Snape had visited his table several times to bully him specifically and it really got him down. He shuffled his feet miserably as he trudged back to the common room with Gwen, Ron and Neville.

"Hey, Ron! Didja here that the Chudley Cannon's got a new Chaser?" Seamus popped out from behind the mass of migrating students and at the mention of his favourite Quidditch team, Ron disappeared as he ran off to see Seamus' new edition of his Quidditch magazine.

"Oh Harry, do cheer up. It's only one class." He looked at Gwen, his face gradually brightening up.

"Your right! It is only one class. I like the others. And we're going to see Hagrid today! I only wish Ron was still here."

"Well, I think that the Chudley Cannons are a little more important to Ron than having tea with the Hogwarts groundskeeper." Gwen looked backed only to find that Neville had slipped away. She felt stupid for not including him in the conversation but it was too late to fix it. She sighed and kept going.

Harry knew immediately what was wrong and tried his best not to be too inconsiderate by talking about the tea in small doses, instead of flaunting it to the air beside Gwen that Neville used to fill. "Sorry Gwen. It's my fault. I should have noticed he felt out of place.

"No, no. It's fine. Let's just be extra nice to him during classes tomorrow."

"Alright. The note said three o'clock so we should probably leave here around ten minutes before that."

"Okay. I'll meet you down in the common room then."

At ten to three, Gwen emerged from her dormitory wearing her regular clothing. She saw Harry waiting by the portrait hole and began walking to him. On her way there, she glanced at Ron only to find him completely immersed in an article about the Chudley Cannon's chance of winning this season. Together, Gwen and Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and started across the grounds towards Hargrid's hut. On the way, they saw Hermione outside practicing her Transfiguration and Gwen smiled at her. Hermione smiled back and made a small wave in the direction of her two classmates.

Hagrid's hut was a small, one-roomed wood cabin with a cosy fireplace and a big, squashy chair. As Harry banged on the door they heard Hagrid frantically attempting to control his dog Fang. The door cracked open and Hagrid ushered them inside as he held his dog back. As soon as he let go, Fang leaped at Gwen and began licking her nose contentedly.

"You remember Gwen?" Harry gestured towards the girl that Fang was slobbering all over.

"O' course. How could I forget the first friend Harry ever had? Found your way in Diagon Alley I suppose then?" Hagrid slid plates of rock cakes and mugs of tea over to them as he spoke.

"Yes. Just fine thank you."

As they ate the rock cakes, they almost broke their teeth but Gwen quickly came up with the idea to soften them with the tea. It worked just fine and they found them to be actually quite good once they could eat them.

They went on about everything that was happening in the school and they were pleased to hear Hagrid complain about Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris. Gwen went on to describe her potions lesson and how well she had done with the boil-cure potion. Harry's expression darkened and he complained quite thoroughly about how awful Snape had been. Gwen was quick to back him up and Hagrid listened and told them not to worry, as Snape hardly liked any of the students.

"But he really seems to hate me!" Harry complained.

"Nonsense! Why should he?" But they both noticed that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that. Hagrid quickly changed the subject and Gwen and Harry shared a glance.

"Hagrid? May I read that?" Harry pointed to the _Daily Prophet_ article sitting on the table.

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

_INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE INTO THE BREAK-IN AT GRINGOTTS ON 31 JULY, WIDELY BELIEVED TO BE THE WORK OF DARK WITCHES OR WIZARDS UNKNOWN. GRINGOTTS GOBLINS TODAY INSISTED THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN TAKEN. THE VAULT IN QUESTION HAD IN FACT BEEN EMPTIED THAT SAME DAY. "BUT WE'RE NOT TELLING YOU WHAT WAS IN THEIR, SO KEEP YOUR NOSES OUT IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU" SAID A GRINGOTTS SPOKESGOBLIN THIS AFTERNOON._

"Hagrid! That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!" Harry looked at Gwen with curiosity.

This time, Hagrid most definitely did not meet his eyes. He quickly offered more rock cake. Hagrid had emptied vault 713 that day, as Harry had told Gwen, and she was more than positive that that was what the thieves had been after.

As they wandered back to the castle for dinner, Harry and Gwen were silent but they were both thinking about the possible impacts of a break-in at Gringotts after the very thing Hagrid had recently delivered to Dumbledore.


	6. Chapter 6 pt1

**A/N: I got to about 2200 words and decided to cut it in half. The actual Midnight Duel will be in pt.2. Please review and also please read Neville and Gwen the Original Chapter and review because that's like where my story is heading if I stick to it. Also, sorry for the delay but I was in NYC from Tues-Sun. and I saw Wicked. It was so powerful. I actually cried a little the music was so moving. That's what I want to do. That and write a book. ;) Review!**

The next day was Flying lessons day. Gwen walked down the hall with a spring in her step. She had been excited for this ever since she had seen that _Nimbus 2000 _in Diagon Alley. Harry, on the other hand, sulked all the way to the grounds. He had been getting heck form Malfoy all week and to top it off, Malfoy had bragged about being a flying expert and Harry was sure that this was going to be another subject of torture.

"Typical. Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." Harry muttered darkly as he travelled in between Gwen and Ron. They knew that he had been looking forward to this until he learned that they had it with the Slytherins.

"Oh Harry, you'll be fine. Trust me. And I can always punch him again if it'll make you feel better." Ron nodded vigorously, agreeing with every word Gwen spoke.

All of the children from wizarding families talked of Quidditch constantly. Gwen was glad that she wasn't alone in never having been on a broom. Dean raved about soccer and didn't give a second thought to any other sport. Neville's family had never let him on a broom as he was exceedingly clumsy and prone to injury. Hermione Granger was extremely nervous as she couldn't seem to learn how to fly by reading, a problem she'd never encountered before. And Harry clearly couldn't have known about the sport either.

That morning at breakfast, Hermione had brought forth her library copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ and was reading aloud from a passage about the theory behind flying.

The owls flew in at that point. Hedwig came with a letter for Gwen from her parents. Recently, she had discovered that she didn't actually mind the pumpkin juice. The name had put her off and she had never tasted it but found it to be quite pleasant once she gave it a try. Gwen smiled apologetically to Harry. He always let her use his owl and she knew he was hoping for a letter from anyone. She smiled as she read the letter but sadly thought of Harry and how he never got any letters. She sighed as she wrote her reply and knew there was really nothing she could do.

An owl then dropped a small package in front of Neville. As he opened it, the small glass ball inside generated a pure, white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall. Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, if you hold it tight like this and it turns red - oh…" His face fell as the smoke glowed scarlet, "you've forgotten something."

Neville desperately tried to remember what it was he had forgotten as Malfoy swaggered over to the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. He reached over and harshly snatched the present from Neville's hands and began to look at it with a self-content sneer on his face.

Ron and Harry got to their feet, both hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy. Gwen got up slowly. She saw McGonagall watching them intently and she gently pressed Harry and Ron back to their seats. "I'll take that, thank you." She grabbed the Remembrall back and handed it to Neville.

Malfoy scowled, though it seemed half-hearted. "Think you can boss me around?"

"Did I order you around? No, I don't think I did. Just go back to the snake table, blondie." He looked at her curiously before turning on his heel and marching back to the other Slytherins.

Neville looked over at Gwen with an expression on his face that she couldn't place. It was something like appreciation and awe with some friendship and respect mixed in. It was sort of like the way Pansy Parkinson looked at Malfoy, only not quite so stomach turning. Neville seemed to realise he was doing it and flushed pink as he looked down at his eggs.

That afternoon, the entire class of first year Gryffindors went down to the pitch for their first flying lesson. Gwen had listened to Fred and George Weasley complain for a good twenty minutes about the quality of the school brooms. Apparently, they weren't very good.

As they arrived, they found the Slytherin first years had come early and were all listening to Malfoy brag about flying his broom through the Muggle city and barely escaping a Muggle helicopter.

"Oh, how brave!" Pansy shrieked. Gwen saw Harry resist the urge to cover his ears. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard.

Gwen smirked and walked up behind Malfoy. "Boo!"

"Ah!" Malfoy yelled. He flinched and turned around only to find Gwen and Harry leaning against each other laughing, with Neville and Ron off to the side stifling chuckles.

"Because Malfoy is just _soo brave!_" Gwen screeched, much to Pansy's annoyance.

It might have broken into a brawl if a lady with grey hair and yellow, bird-like eyes hadn't come striding up the pitch. Madame Hooch was the official referee for many of the Quidditch games and taught Flying to the first years.

"Well, what are you al waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She seemingly had no patience.

Gwen looked down at her twig of a thing. It looked much different than the Nimbus she had seen before. This one was old and worn and quite awkward looking.

"Stick your right hand over your broom and say 'UP!'"

A chorus of "UP"s rang through the crowd of students. Harry's broom shot up immediately. Gwen's came up about two second's later. Hermione Granger's broom rolled around on the ground lazily and Neville's wasn't moving at all.

When everyone had hold of their brooms, Madame Hooch showed them how to mount and grip them. Gwen gripped her broomstick properly right away - it was the same as a tennis grip, a sport her mum had insisted she play. Malfoy was told off for debating the correct way but in the end, he was wrong and Harry and Ron took immense glee in that.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"

Neville kicked off in a panic and broom left his control. "Come back boy!" Madame Hooch yelled after him as he rose higher and higher into the air.

"Neville!" Gwen ran out to stand almost under him. His scared white face peered down at her and she paled as well as she saw him begin to slip sideways off the broom. Running out from under him, she turned just in time to see him crumble to the ground with a sickening crack.

Madame Hooch rushed over and bent over Neville, examining his arm. "Broken wrist. Come on boy - it's all right, up you get."

"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts faster than you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, face tear-streaked and flushed, hobbled off clutching his wrist. He glanced back before hiding his face in Madame Hooch's sleeve as she led him off the field.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy looked at the Slytherin first years and they all chorused in mean laughter.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Gwen snapped at him, balling her hands into tense fists.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" Pansy stepped forward, looking for revenge for Gwen's previous taunting. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Gwen."

"I don't, I like Neville." Gwen said boldly.

"Look!" Malfoy cut off the two girls as he darted forward and snatched something out of the grass. As it glittered in the sun, it was revealed to be Neville's Remembrall. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

"Give that here, Malfoy," Harry spoke quietly and dangerously. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing to watch.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about up a tree."

"Give it _here_!" Harry yelled but Malfoy had other plans. He leaped on his broom and began to take off. Before he could get too far, Gwen grabbed on and held the back of the broomstick in a vain attempt to hold him down.

"Get off, you stupid little Potter groupie!"

"Get down then."

"Bossing me around again?" Malfoy raised his foot and stomped down before zooming away. "Come and get it Potter!"

Harry grabbed at his broom and stopped by Gwen to pull her to her feet and apologise for the trouble with his eyes. As he started into the air, Hermione Granger came by and stood by his hovering broomstick, preparing to scold. "_No_! Madame Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all in trouble."

Harry, of course, ignored her words and shot into the air, leaving Ron cheering, Hermione muttering disapprovingly and Gwen looking up, feeling quite helpless from her position on the ground.

It was so natural it seemed, for Harry. They watched from the ground as Harry and Malfoy came head to head. Harry appeared to be yelling at him and Gwen watched as Malfoy took the Remembrall and chucked it fairly far. A gasp rang through the crowd as Harry dove for it, zooming towards the ground at an alarming rate. And just when it seemed as if he was going to crash, he pulled up and caught it.

Just as he toppled safely on the grass, Professor McGonagall came running out of the building, "HARRY POTTER!"

She marched onto the field and took him away. There were many protests from the other kids but Gwen knew it would be better to keep her mouth shut. They finished up their flying lesson quickly. Neville didn't return. Gwen loved to fly and she caught on fairly quickly. It was over all too fast and she returned to the common room to wait for Harry.

She sat in a corner with a book in front of her face when he arrived, looking so overjoyed. He walked - no, bounced straight over to where she was and plopped down.

"Gwen, you'll never guess what just happened -" he stopped as she lowered her book. Right there on her pale, freckled skin was a black eye. Her left eye was surrounded by a purple bruise that was all too noticeable. "That git. That absolute git!"

"No, no, no Harry its fine. It's defiantly not your fault. I'm okay - really. Just…tell me your news." She watched as he gradually stopped fuming and calmed himself.

"I'm the new Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team"

"Oh my God Harry! That's INTENSE!" With a swift motion, she threw her arms around him and pulled him up and announced it to the whole room.

oo0O0oo

Gwen went to dinner late because she spent a lot of time waiting for the kids in the common room to clear out to avoid most of their questions. When she entered the great hall, she saw Malfoy over with Crabbe and Goyle talking to Harry and Ron. As she approached, she got the gist of their conversation.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you." Harry was very cold, clearly restraining himself for beating Malfoy right there for what he did to Gwen.

Smirking, Gwen walked up beside Malfoy in his blind spot and clamped her hand on his shoulder. She felt him finch and her smirk grew even bigger. "Nope. No braver. Just more confident. Did I scare you? Whoops." Ron was about to laugh when he saw her face, in all its blackened glory and Harry's features remained stony throughout the exchange. She sat down on Harry's other side and began filling her plate without taking her eyes off of Malfoy.

"I see my boot did a number on you, Montgomery."

"Yeah. A tap dance. But I think it matches my hair. Or would it go better with yours?" She held her fist in front of his face and he took a step back, though his smug expression didn't change.

"I'd take you on any day, Potter. Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a Wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has!" Ron interjected. He was about to continue but stopped when he saw the look Gwen and Harry exchanged. He didn't want to provoke Malfoy. Not when they were so confused.

"Well then, my second's Crabbe. Who's yours."

"Gwen." Harry replied automatically. She was his best friend and he knew she could help him figure out what a Wizard's duel was.

"And I suppose she's an expert?" Malfoy had no clue about Gwen being Muggle-born and she intended to keep it that way. Only seven Gryffindors knew and she had them sworn to secrecy: Neville, Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, Parvati and Hermione.

"As a matter of fact, yes. And you'll be blasted into illegal oblivion if you don't scram the heck away from this table, snake."

He looked over his shoulder and when no one was looking, his expression morphed into one of appreciation. That girl could intimidate.

_To be continued…_


	7. Chapter 6 pt2

**A/N: Okay, this is the second part. I hope you like it. And also, no one reviewed my last chapter. If you do review, please tell me if you would like me to stick pretty well to the original plot or explore a little. Please and Thank you!**

_Continued…_

"Ron," Harry turned to the redhead seated beside him, "Just what _is _a Wizard's duel? And why is Gwen my second?"

"Gwen takes over if you die. But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real, grown-up wizards. You guys can mostly only shoot sparks at each other. Besides, he probably didn't think you would accept anyways."

"But what if I can't do anything? What if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" Harry looked worriedly from Gwen to Ron.

"Throw it away and punch him in the nose" suggested Ron.

"Or the gut."

"Excuse me"

The three of them looked up only to find Hermione Granger standing over them, waiting very impatiently to talk to them.

"Can't a person eat in this place?" Ron complained rather loudly. Gwen shot him a look.

"I couldn't help hearing what you and Malfoy were saying-" she was addressing Harry.

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of all the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." she ploughed forward, ignoring Ron entirely.

"And it's really none of you're business," said Harry.

"Don't stress about it," though Gwen thought Hermione looked very much like she was going to stress.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

And Gwen tried very hard not to admit that Hermione Granger was very likely the snobbiest girl she had ever met.

oo0O0oo

Gwen, who was very good with very little sleep, was given the job of waking Ron and Harry up for the duel. So, at half-past eleven she crept into the first year boys dormitory with the intent of shaking Harry awake only to find him sitting up, wand ready, glasses on, very much already awake.

"Harry! What are you doing up now?"

"Couldn't sleep at all. I just kept thinking about this Wizard's duel. Well, I don't think Ron is awake yet so I suppose we'd better go take care of that." So they took on the job of waking up Ron.

"Ron…Ron!…RON!"

"Ugh, food, so much….pie….Malfoy…beat up…stupid prat…go away…let…me…sleep…"

They tried for some time to get him to move but the most that they could get was a slight stirring. However, he simply told them to go away in a hardly conscious voice and he got progressively louder until they knew he would wake up the whole dorm if they kept trying. It was no use. Ron was not going to wake up.

The two of them snuck down the stairs and crept through the common room towards the portrait hole. Gwen jumped in surprise when a bossy voice sounded from a nearby chair, stopping their progress.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on, casting a dull glow over the room. Hermione Granger was watching them intently with an awful scowl on her face.

"Oh! Hermione! Go back to bed. Don't over think this. Just let us go." Gwen tried her best to find a way to gently get Hermione the heck back to bed.

"Where's Ronald? I would have thought he would come with you on your restricted outing."

"He wouldn't wake up, if you must know. Not that it's any of your business," Gwen was absolutely fed up with Hermione's meddling.

"I almost told his brother you know," Hermione snapped back at Gwen, "Percy - he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Come on," said Harry in a most irritated tone as he pushed open the portrait hole and motioned Gwen through.

Hermione decided, apparently, that it was her duty to follow them and that she did. She hissed a constant stream of words at them as she climbed through as well. "Don't you _care _about Gryffindor, do you _only _care about yourselves, _I _don't want Slytherin to win the House Cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells!"

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train tomorrow, you're so…oh no…"

She stopped mid sentence for the Fat Lady had gone off to some other portrait to visit and Hermione was left with absolutely no way to re -enter Gryffindor Tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly. Harry and Gwen looked at each other helplessly. There was no way she was coming with them.

"I don't know. I'm sure someone will come-" Harry began.

"SOMEONE WILL COME? And I'll get detention to be sure! How could you suggest…. I'm coming with you. Better than Filch catching me. Now if anyone catches us, I'll tell them the truth, that I was trying to stop you and you'll back me up."

"Excuse me? You can come if you'll shut up and if we go down we go down together. All three."

"Quiet! I heard something." Harry whispered sharply to the bickering girls.

It was a sort of snuffling noise. "Mrs. Norris?" Gwen took a brave step forward.

But it wasn't Filch's evil cat. It was Neville. He was asleep on the floor but woke up as they neared. "Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig Snout' but it won't help you now. The Fat Lady's gone off somewhere." said Harry.

"How's your arm?" Gwen gently touched his wrist and looked at him, concerned.

"F-fine thanks," Neville stuttered. "Madame Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-"

"-we can't just leave him here!"

"-don't leave me here."

Gwen and Neville protested with Harry at the same time, causing Neville to look at her thankfully.

"I guess so. Just stay by Gwen and don't get lost," Harry gave a weary look to Gwen who simply shrugged.

The four of them crept along. With every corner and every staircase, they were sure that they saw the shadow of a professor or Filch come to expel them. But finally, they arrived in the trophy room. Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet but the cases were enough to distract them. They were full of shining cups and plaques.

"Malfoy is such a liar. He must've chickened out." Gwen whispered doubtfully. But after several more minutes of waiting, the four of them froze as they heard the very voice they had been dreading all night. And they knew they were caught.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." Filch was nearing the room, muttering to Mrs. Norris. Harry ran out of the room in the opposite direction and waved madly for the others to follow. Hermione ran faster than anyone thought possible and Gwen pulled Neville out of the room just in time.

"They're in here somewhere, probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed and they all tip-toed down a corridor full suits of armour. They could hear Filch getting closer. Suddenly Neville let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run. He tripped over himself and grabbed Gwen around the waist impulsively as he fell down and they both crashed into a suit of armour.

"RUN!" belted Harry when he heard the deafening crash that followed. Neville was sitting on the ground in the position he fell over in, much too embarrassed for grabbing onto Gwen to move.

"Neville, come on!" Gwen pleaded, but he only turned redder. Frustrated and sympathetic at the same time, she - being considerably taller than the short boy - threaded her arms around his and pulled him to his feet before forcefully taking his hand and yanking him along behind as they fled the hall.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted as everyone doubled over and gasped for air.

"I…_told…_you," Hermione clutched her chest as she wheezed, "I…told…you."

"We need to get back to the tower before anyone catches us," said Gwen.

"Malfoy tricked you!" Hermione took a step closer to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must've tipped him off."

No one wanted to admit that Hermione was more than likely right, else her head might swell even bigger. So they all kept silent until Harry said, "Let's go."

Neville was the only one that heard Gwen mutter under her breath, "Snake's gunna pay." as she clenched her fists and her looked at her, quite intimidated. She was by far the third scariest girl he had ever met, the first being his gran. Millicent Bulstrode was a definite second and that Pansy Parkinson was a close fourth.

Their journey back to the common room was cut short when none other than Peeves, the school Poltergeist, came flying out of one of the classrooms, squealing with the delight of having four new victims.

"Peeves, can you be quiet - please - you'll get us expelled!"

Peeves just cackled at Harry's attempts. "Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you keep quiet! Please?" Gwen felt stupid for trying to reason with him, but Peeves had to have some mercy, right?

"Should tell Filch, I should. It's for your own good, you know."

"Honestly, you think you can just boss us around as you wish?" Hermione stepped forward and placed her hands defiantly on her hips. "Please get out of our way." Despite the 'please', Hermione's statement was not at all polite.

"Rude children get no help from Peevesie. STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

They ran with all the energy they had left, right down to the end of the corridor where they found a door. Desperate, they tried to hide in it but found it locked.

"What now?" Harry was panicking.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She pushed them out of the way and snatched Harry's wand, muttering "_Alohomora!" _resulting in the door unlocking with a smart _click_.

Piling inside, Harry, Hermione, Gwen and Neville leaned against the door and listened to Filch and Peeves argue for several minutes. Eventually, Peeves' voice faded away down the hall cackling and Filch cursed in an awful rage as he stormed off to continue looking.

"He thinks the door is locked. I think we'll be okay," Harry whispered.

"Neville, what is it?" Gwen turned to Neville as he had been gently tugging on her sleeve with an increasing urgency. All three of them turned to see what Neville had been looking at and they were sure it was some kind of living nightmare.

They were looking at a monster of a dog. It filled the entire room and was dark in fur colour. It had three grotesque heads: three pairs of mad eyes, three twitching noses and three sets of yellowed fangs, dripping with saliva.

It seemed almost as surprised as they were and for a moment it only stared at them. But then, with a thunderous growl, they understood it's message.

Harry desperately opened the door and they all fell back into the hallway. Scrambling to their feet, they closed and relocked the door before dashing back to the seventh floor and reaching Gryffindor Tower. They didn't stop the whole way until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she looked down at them disapprovingly, taking in their sweaty faces and lack of breath.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed on various armchairs.

It took them a while to say anything.

"I think it's given that wasn't Professor Flitwick's new pet dog," Gwen wasn't quite sure what to say.

Hermione shot her a quite rude and disbelieving look. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped, "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry heard Gwen snort, "I wasn't looking at it's feet, I was too busy with it's heads."

"No, _not_ the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up and glared at them.

"I hope your pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed - or worse, expelled. I thought better of you, Guinevere. You as well, Harry. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Hermione stomped up the stairs, leaving the three of them still in their respective chairs, watching her go.

"Gwen, Hagrid said that the safest place in the world was Gringotts if you wanted to hide something - excepting Hogwarts. I would bet all the Galleons in my vault that whatever Hagrid took out of that vault that day is under that trap door."

Gwen looked at Harry with a wondering expression. She knew he was right and after spending another fifteen minutes filling Neville in, she lay in bed for hours contemplating what was under that trapdoor and who it was hidden it from.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N 1: Sorry or you're welcome (whichever way you want to look at it) about this chapter. It's going to be considerably longer than the others but I simply couldn't split it. It wouldn't work.**

**A/N 2: Now, I'm assuming that you are all familiar with the plotline already so I've decided to skim over parts that keep true to the book, i.e. lessons, conversations, Quidditch games and set-up. I hope that's okay with you. Keep on reviewing. I'm hoping for ten reviews before my tenth chapter. Help me achieve that!**

The next morning the four of them were scared to mention the occurrences of the previous night. However, after speaking with the other three at breakfast - they had all sat together so that they could talk - Gwen gathered that she and Harry wanted to figure this out (to some extent, of course), Hermione wanted to continue on and not participate in any more of "that awful rule breaking" though she was suspicious about that trapdoor, and Neville wanted to hide in a corner and never even hear the word 'dog' again.

"Be reasonable Neville!"

"I-I just don't want to get involved with anything dangerous. And this seems to be."

"Dangerous or valuable. Those are my predictions." Gwen nodded. Harry was right. That package was most definitely important in some way.

"Well, I hope you never get me involved with something like this ever again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've finished my breakfast and I'll be in the library if you so desperately need me!" Hermione missed the way Gwen and Harry rolled their eyes when she said 'get me involved' as if she didn't interfere at all.

Neville just nervously looked into his porridge, as if expecting the dog to pop out of it. Ron came striding into the Great Hall then, a severe frown upon his face. Gwen and Harry shared a look that said "oh no". He plopped himself down beside Harry so hard that the plates on the table rattled.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked through his teeth and Neville shoved the rest of his porridge in his mouth and fled the table.

"Ron you wouldn't-"

"You know what, I don't want to hear it, Gwen. I thought we were friends, Harry."

And with that, Ron grabbed several pieces of toast and stormed out, taking bites as he went.

Harry started to stand up but Gwen put her head in her hands in exhaustion. "Harry, you know that there isn't any use. He'll come around. Until then we should leave him alone. We'll talk to him at lunch."

Nodding, Harry was anything but excited to see Malfoy coming towards the table.

"H-how…? I thought you'd be on the train home right now."

"You would think that, snake." Gwen narrowed her eyes.

"Funny trick you pulled but we're smarter than that."

Malfoy opened and closed his mouth, thinking rapidly for a snide rebuttal but was cut off by several owls dropping off a long, thin package in front of Harry. He read the note attached and handed it to Gwen. It said that Harry was being given a Nimbus 2000 so that he could be properly trained for Quidditch.

Malfoy had stalked away during this, feeling out of place and discouraged that they had suddenly ignored him.

Running into the hallway, Gwen and Harry ripped open the package and marvelled at the sleek racing broom. "Oh, you'll _have _to let me ride it!"

"What's _that_?"

Malfoy had followed Gwen and Harry out of the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle not far behind.

"_That's _none of your business!" Gwen stood up from her kneeling position and crossed her arms.

"That's a broomstick," Malfoy said, giddy with an evil sort of glee, "and first years aren't allowed them. You'll be kicked out for sure!"

"Not arguing boys and-oh! Miss Montgomery, being nice, I hope. We can't tolerate any fighting here," Professor Flitwick squeaked, appearing by Malfoy's elbow. He was clearly surprised to see one of his quietest, best students in the middle of a would-be confrontation.

"Potter's got himself a broomstick!" Malfoy announced.

"Oh yes. I've heard about these circumstances. A Nimbus 2000 is it? Congratulations!"

"Thank you, sir. And it's really thanks to Malfoy here I got it." They walked away laughing and Gwen turned back to stick her tongue out at Malfoy's dark expression.

"And the best part is, it's true!" Gwen stopped laughing as she saw Hermione come around the corner and glare at the broom.

"I suppose you think that breaking the rules earn you rewards?"

"Not always," Harry tried to reason.

"We just got lucky."

Hermione marched away.

Oo0O0oo

During lessons, Gwen could tell that Harry was having trouble focusing. She herself was slightly distracted by thoughts of the broom but she managed to keep her focus for the most part.

In Potions, Professor Snape was simply awful. She hadn't had anything lucky happen again but she wasn't doing nearly so bad as Ron and Harry. She was sliding underneath Hermione, as she did in most subjects. Usually, she got herself partnered with Neville, mostly for his own safety, but every once and awhile, Snape would switch it up for amusement and watch Neville fail.

Herbology was interesting but fairly basic. Defence Against the Dark Arts was kind of fun and Quirrell made the classes entertaining. He just couldn't stop blubbering enough to teach a proper class. Astronomy was tiring. Charms was mediocre. History of Magic was a bore but Gwen had managed to stay awake each time, somehow. Now Transfiguration. After the two weeks she learned that she was better in Transfiguration than even Hermione Granger. Other than the matchsticks to needles which she'd only done semi-well (most likely due to it being her first time) she excelled. Usually on her first try she could do things and even faster than she thought possible. It made Hermione quite frustrated.

After classes, at seven o'clock that night, Gwen watched Harry leave for the Quidditch pitch to go learn the rules of the game.

For the rest of the evening, she busied herself by doing homework, helping Neville with his, reading some Muggle books she'd brought from home and finally, when she was too tired to wait for Harry anymore, she got dressed in her pajamas and went to sleep.

Oo0O0oo

Life simply flew by. Gwen couldn't believe two months was almost over. She had been so preoccupied with classes, homework and watching Harry's practices that the time was gone before she could even turn the page of her calendar.

It was Halloween that day. The Great Hall smelled of pumpkin everything. The breakfast was pumpkin waffles and pancakes and pumpkin muffins and pumpkin syrup. It was a little over the top but nonetheless, delicious. Not most things. Gwen only ate the pumpkin muffins because they were pumpkin spice and not as strong as normal pumpkin. Things hadn't changed. Gwen still didn't like pumpkin.

That day in Charms, their partners caused quite a problem. Neville had been trying to catch Harry's eye but Seamus asked him first, much to Harry's obvious relief. After seeing Neville's disappointed face, Gwen had promptly asked him to be her partner. And Hermione Granger and Ron were partners. She hadn't spoken to any of the three of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived. Ron had reluctantly made up with them at lunch the same day but their relationship had been taken down a notch. Just one, but clearly it had been slightly strained.

Professor Flitwick reminded them of the proper incantation and wand movement . Then they were set to work. Gwen gently calmed Neville's swish and flick. It had been more like and slash and cut. She glanced over at Harry and Seamus only to find their feather on fire. She tried it for herself for a third time. Her feather shook a little, rose an inch into the air and then flopped down stubbornly. She sighed. If only she were good at Charms like she was good at Transfiguration.

But then it happened.

She could hear Ron and Hermione bickering from across the room. "_Wingardium Leviosa!"_ He looked ridiculous and quite dangerous, the way he was thrashing about.

"You're saying it wrong! Wing-_gar-_dium Levi-_o_-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long!" Even if what she was saying was okay, her tone was extremely know-it-allish and Ron simply _hated_ to be bossed around.

"You do it then, if you're so clever."

And she did. She had her feather in the air at her command within seconds. Professor Flitwick gave her great praise for that while Ron glowered. Needless to say, he was in a foul mood by the end of class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said to Harry as they made their way to their next class, "She's a nightmare, honestly!"

Suddenly, someone knocked in between Harry and Gwen as they dashed past. It was Hermione, her face glistening with tears.

"I think she heard you," Harry said, rather uncomfortably.

"So? She must've noticed she's got no friends." However, he seemed slightly put off, seemingly with guilt.

"We have to go after her. Make sure she'd okay!" Gwen took a tighter grip on her books and quickened her pace.

Harry wasn't far behind. Suddenly, Ron was on her other side. Gwen stopped and put her hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "I think you've done enough for today." Then, she grabbed Harry's wrist and increased their pace to a jog.

They only had a few minutes before they were needed in class but they managed to check the Great Hall, the common room and the library. The arrived in their next class out of breath, just in time.

They started to worry when Hermione didn't show up to class. Ron sat across the room from them, looking reasonably guilty.

"Do you think Hermione's okay?" Gwen whispered to Harry.

"I don't know. It's not like her to miss a class."

"Maybe she'll be at dinner."

But she wasn't at dinner. Gwen heard Parvati Patil telling Lavender that she heard Hermione in the girls bathroom, crying. Gwen and Harry looked at each other, Gwen biting her lip, Harry's eyebrows furrowing together. They felt bad.

Ron sat beside them but didn't talk much. He was feeling pretty awkward about the whole thing. Despite the Great Hall's amazingly spooky atmosphere, all of them refused to cheer up. Gwen and Harry kept a low conversation going about various things, mostly his Quidditch practices but stopped in shock when none other than Professor Quirrell burst in, completely panicked.

"Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know." And he sank into a dead faint upon the floor. The hall erupted into panic as Dumbledore ordered all of the students to their common rooms and the teachers to the dungeons. Percy Weasley attempted to usher everyone safely to the Gryffindor common room. Ron, who had been sitting nearer to his brother than usual, was immediately taken by the wrist and dragged off with him for safety.

"A troll?" Gwen was confused but Dumbledore's panic had caused her to become afraid.

"I don't know. At least we're all getting to safety-" Harry stopped.

"Harry what is it?"

"Hermione doesn't know about the troll."

"You're right. We'd better go get her."

So they ventured towards the bathroom they knew her to be hiding in. At one point they thought that they had run into Percy but it was Snape. He was heading for the third floor. They didn't even have time to wonder because at that exact moment they noticed something. A large, ugly gray thing with thick legs and a huge wooden club that dragged along the floor. Even the two children who had never seen a troll knew what it was immediately.

They cowered as it peered into a doorway and stomped inside.

"The key's in the lock. We could lock it in," Harry muttered.

"Sounds good," said Gwen, her voice quivering.

Nervously, the edged to the door, slammed it quickly and turned the key.

"_Yes!_"

They started to run back down the passage towards Gryffindor Tower when they heard something that made their hearts stop. It was a petrified scream coming from the chamber they'd locked the troll in.

"Oh my God," Gwen breathed, turning around slowly.

"It's the girls bathroom!" Harry gasped.

"_Hermione!_" they said together.

They wheeled around, scared out of their eleven year-old minds. Turning the lock, they burst into the bathroom only to find the troll slowly advancing on Hermione, who was squeezed into a corner of the room, shivering with fright. It was then that Gwen realised, despite her bossy attitude, just how young, small and helpless Hermione really was.

She didn't even see them when they came in, she was preoccupied watching the troll. It was smashing the sinks with his club as it inched forwards. If Gwen didn't know better, she would think that it was a slow motion shot in a movie.

"We should confuse it - I read somewhere that they're really dumb!" Harry yelled over the crashing water spilling from the cracked pipes.

"Umm - okay?" Gwen ran to one corner of the room, while Harry went to the other. He threw a piece of pipe at the troll's head.

"Hey! Stupid!" The troll turned and growled.

Harry looked pointedly at Gwen. Taking her cue, she threw a broken faucet at the thing's shoulder. "Come and get me!"

"Hermione, get away. Run! _Run!_" Harry was panicking now. Hermione was completely frozen and refusing to move or respond in any way and if they didn't get out of there fast, that troll could very well kill them. He was about to go and pull Hermione to the door himself when the troll responded.

It turned and scratched his head, not able to process that the three children were individual people. It lumbered towards Gwen who was the closest. She was backed up against a stall with no way to escape. She let out a shriek and called to Harry "Harry! Help me!"

Harry then did something very idiotic, but also very heroic. At the time, no one was quite sure which it was, though Gwen would always tell him it was a dumb move and Hermione would praise him for his bravery. He took a leap and fastened himself onto the troll's neck. By accident, Harry's wand had been forced up the troll's nose.

It became very angry and very confused. It howled in pain as it flailed about, trying to shake the stick out of its nose. The troll's club came dangerously close to Harry's head and Hermione sank to the floor. Gwen shook her head and brought forth her wand. Looking at Hermione, she remembered what had brought them here.

It was those thoughts that brought the levitation spell to her head. Performing a perfect swish and flick, she chanted "_Wingardium Leviosa!"_

Her wand had been pointing to a piece of sink nearby. It was actually a fairly large piece. The metal rod rose into the air and Gwen sent it flying at the thing's arm with the intention of stopping it from getting its club too close to Harry. It smashed into the troll's wrist and it dropped its club, screeching with pain. The wooden club sank down and landed on its left foot. Hopping up and down, it gave Harry a chance to jump off and run to stand beside Gwen.

Harry kicked a shattered piece of plaster under the troll's feet and the creature tripped. Its eyes rolled back in his head as he fell. It landed on its stomach pretty hard and Gwen swore she heard a small _crunch _as its neck hit the ground. It's horrific face landed about two feet from Hermione and they all let out the breath they had been holding in that it hadn't crushed her.

The silence was deafening, but it was Hermione who finally spoke.

"Is it - dead?"

"No, I don't think so," said Harry, inching towards its face, "I think it's just been knocked out." He reached down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. Gwen couldn't look as he wiped the goo off of it with the troll's trousers. She made a mental note not to borrow Harry's wand any time soon.

"Ugh - troll boogers!"

Just then, Professor McGonagall burst into the bathroom with Snape and Quirrell in tow. Quirrell saw the troll and looked like he was going to keel over. He sat down on a toilet for support.

Snape inspected the troll while Professor McGonagall turned to look at Gwen and Harry, her lips thin.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" Gwen and Harry looked at each other, the exhilaration of taking on the troll slowly going away. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"I-" Gwen started.

"Please - Professor, they were out looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione stood slowly, shaking.

"I - uh. I wasn't at dinner because I was practicing some spells. I saw the troll and thought it was some students playing a Halloween trick and so I followed it to get to the bottom of it. But then I ended up here and the troll was real. I was too scared to move, and if Gwen and Harry here hadn't noticed I was gone I'd be dead now. They didn't have time to fetch anyone. Harry stuck his wand up its nose while Gwen hit it with levitated pieces of broken sink. It was just going to hit me with its club when they got here…" she turned her eyes down. Gwen was touched. Not only had Hermione lied for them, but she had called her Gwen. She had only ever referred to her as Guinevere before.

"Oh my - in that case, I suppose… Miss Granger! Two points from Gryffindor for your foolish actions, but only two for your good intentions. How could you be so headstrong as to follow something that very well could have been - and is - a real troll?"

Hermione's cheeks tinged pink and she left the bathroom slowly.

"Now, you two," she turned to Gwen and Harry, her expression softer, "It was a very stupid and risky thing that you did. But you will each be earning five points. Dumbledore will be informed. You may go."

They exited the bathroom and began heading up the stairs.

"I wish we'd gotten more than eight points." Gwen complained.

"Better than losing eight."

They were only one floor up when they saw Hermione. She was waiting for them, sitting at the bottom of the next flight of stairs with her head in her hands.

"Thanks for saving our butts back there." Harry started.

Hermione stood up. Gwen ran over, not bothering to say anything and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug. Harry eventually came over to join them. "Thank God you're alive!"

And that was all they said. They remained in that hug for a long time before making their way up to the common room. They didn't talk for the rest of the night but they were now friends with Hermione Granger.

Because some things you just can't go through without becoming friends, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of those things.


	9. Chapter 8

**IMPORTANT! READ THIS A/N!**

**A/N: In response to my reviewer **_**Pheonixflamesimmortal's **_**questions, I'm here to (well, not spoil) reveal where this story is going. This could take a bit. Sorry. However, first I have an exciting announcement, Since it'll take forever to write all seven books, I'm changing my oneshot to "The Neville and Gwen Chronicles" featuring all my favourite moments I've come up with. For my most recent one, I'm holding a bit of a contest. The first person who can name me five actual personality traits/quirks of Gwen will get their name in the next chapter of the "oneshot". And likes/dislikes count. Just make sure to put your first name in with the review. I'll give you the first one: ~~Clumsy~~**

**(1) Ron, as you may be noticing, will be slowly edged out of the group. It will still be a trio but it will be Harry, Hermione and Gwen. Sorry to all you Ron fans out there but I'm a huge Ron-hater and just couldn't leave him in.**

**(2) Yes, I am planning to attempt to write all seven books like this, but I may not. It is a big project but it's something I'm set on right now. The most I can guarantee is that I will finish this story no matter what and I WILL TRY to write the second.**

**(3) Yes, Gwen will be ending up with Neville. Like I said, the oneshot inspired the story and I couldn't change it if I wanted to, there's too much planned out. Sorry to all you out there hoping for Gwen and Harry together. It's not happening.**

**(4) This wasn't a question but I will tell you that Harry and Hermione will end up together. I'm a huge Harmony shipper and my imagination can't keep them apart. However, both relationships will develop slowly. You will defiantly see sparks by the fourth year if I write that far.**

**There! I'm done! Read and review. Please and thank you.**

Soon the frost came. It was November and the start of the Quidditch season. One day, Hermione leant Harry _Quidditch Through the Ages. _He read it religiously and almost refused to put it down.

The day before his first Quidditch match, Hermione, Gwen, Ron and Harry had been out in the courtyard, keeping warm by a blue fire Hermione had conjured. It wasn't too long before they saw Snape limping up. He confiscated Harry's book for some stupid reason Gwen couldn't remember, but she could clearly remember their suspicion at his limp.

Later on in the evening, they were sitting in the common room "doing" their Charms homework. Really it was Hermione doing hers with ease, Gwen struggling slightly but eventually completing it and Ron and Harry throwing down whatever answer they felt like and then having Hermione correct it.

Harry was pacing all evening. He wanted his book back. Gwen could tell he was stressed out. Finally he came to the conclusion that he should go and ask for it back. Hermione's eyes grew big.

"Better you than me," she and Ron said at the same time. Gwen smirked when they looked at each other, disgusted. Hermione may have become Gwen and Harry's friend and she was well aware that Ron came in that package, but she still hadn't forgiven him for his comment on Halloween. And he was just too much of a prat to say sorry.

"Good luck Harry. I hope that someone like Professor Flitwick is in the staffroom. Someone nice."

"Thanks Gwen. Because I was so calm already," Harry said. She merely shrugged.

He left the common room and was gone for some time. About five minutes after he left, Ron was invited by Dean to play exploding snap with him. They went to another corner in the room and Ron became very much absorbed in what he was doing.

Hermione and Gwen pulled out Wizard's chess. They usually saved this for when Ron wasn't nearby as he was unbeatable. Hermione's moves were basic but powerful. Gwen was a match for her but eventually, Hermione achieved a checkmate.

Gwen began to go back to her book , _Chess - the Immortal Strategy _when Harry burst trough the portrait hole. He was out of breath and he was panting when he slumped down in between Hermione and Gwen.

"What happened? Did you get the book?" Gwen slammed her book closed and turned to face him.

He quickly explained that he had gone into the staffroom to retrieve his book when he noticed Filch taking care of Snape's leg, which was all bloody. Snape then complained about having to watch all three heads before noticing Harry and screaming for him to get out. They looked at each other, all aware of the implications.

"That means that during Halloween, he was heading to the third floor to get past the dog. He was going to steal the package. Sanpe must've let the troll in - as a diversion!" Harry finished breathlessly.

"No - he wouldn't" Hermione protested, eyes wide. "I know that he's not nice but he would never try to steal something that Dumbledore was trying to keep safe!"

"Hermione, what other possibility is there? Not all teachers are good people. You have to face the facts. I'm with Harry here, Snape must be after it - whatever it is. And that's our next big question. What _is _it?"

Hermione's face twisted with her internal conflict but they could tell that she knew they were right.

"Should we tell Ron?" Harry glanced over at their preoccupied companion.

"I don't know…" started Gwen. "We don't want this going around. We can't have anyone find out what we're trying to do. And besides, he didn't see the dog, or the troll. On what grounds would he believe us? And he's not exactly in the best temperament. He would blow up that we didn't tell him sooner. If it gets serious or we need another person, we tell him."

"I think Gwen's right, Harry. As much as you want to tell Ron, it wouldn't be a good idea. It's already bad enough that Neville knows too. If more than four people know, it gets risky."

Harry nodded and they all went to bed, though no one slept much between worry for the match and worry about the trapdoor.

oo0OO0oo

The next morning at breakfast Harry seemed determined to starve himself.

"You have to eat breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast?" Hermione pleaded.

"No thank you."

"Harry, just shut up and eat. You'll be fine but not if you faint from hunger!" Gwen shoved a spoon of porridge into his mouth when he opened it to respond.

"Fwanks for da sufort, Gwen. I fweell soo mush betta," Harry spoke around his full mouth.

"Good luck today, Harry. Fly fast. The seeker usually gets clobbered the worst!" Seamus walked by the table. Before he could say anything else "supportive" Gwen eyed him and he sped up.

"THANKS FOR THE HELP SEAMUS!" She yelled after him.

"Happy to assist," He yelled back with a bow. Paired with the Irish accent it was quite amusing.

"Now I feel so much better," Harry put his forehead down on the table and refused to move.

oo0O0oo

Gwen made her way down to the Quidditch pitch and found her seat. She was squished in between Hermione and Neville. She was helping most of the rest of the year in Gryffindor hold up a _Potter for President_ sign.

It was a while before any of the players came out but all of a sudden they came zooming out on their brooms. First came Oliver Wood - the captain. Then, Angela Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet - the Chasers. Next came Fred and George - the Beaters. George flew awfully close to the stands and winked at Gwen who responded by crinkling her nose and smiling at him.

Finally, Harry burst from the locker room, looking fairly unsure of himself from atop his new broom. He brightened up as soon as he saw the banner they had made and his grin grew as he saw Hermione and Gwen (presumably Ron too, but Gwen wasn't sure how Harry was on the Ron subject). She waved at him and he flew faster than before to reach his starting position.

The game started. Lee Jordan's commentating was the most entertaining thing Gwen had ever heard. The game went quickly but Gryffindor had only scored once before Hagrid ventured into the stands with them.

"Hi Hagrid!"

He squeezed in to join them.

"I bin watchin' from me hut," he said as he pulled out a pair of binoculars, "But it isn't the same as in the crowd. No Snitch yet, eh?"

"No, not quite yet," Hermione answered.

"Well, no injuries yet atleas'"

The game continued. Suddenly, Harry began speeding up. He had seen the Snitch. Taking his cue, the Slytherin Seeker shot across the pitch to fly next to Harry, going for the Snitch at once. But Harry's broom was faster. Just when it seemed he was going to catch it, Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Captain, slammed into Harry and nearly sent him flying. The Snitch was gone.

"FOUL!" Gwen and Hermione hollered together. The Gryffindor team was given a foul shot but it was too late, the Snitch was gone.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air. He should be kicked out," said Hagrid.

Gwen clutched the rail as a Bludger almost hit Harry. He dodged it with ease but his broom suddenly gave an awful buck. She could see him struggling to regain control but the broom resisted. It lurched and twisted and sent him flying through the air in random directions.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid muttered as he adjusted the zoom on his binoculars." If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom…but he can't have…"

The broom's twitching only got worse. People began to point and whisper all over the stands. But then it started to roll. It somersaulted and barrel rolled all over the pitch. And then he was only holding on with one hand.

"Oh no…Harry…." Gwen looked as if she was about to faint.

"I dunno what coulda done this. Only powerful Dark Magic can mess with any broom and that's a Nimbus 2000..." Hagrid's voice quivered.

"Dark Magic…" Hermione grabbed at Hagrid's binoculars and looked around the stadium. "I knew it. Snape - look."

Hermione handed the binoculars over to Gwen, who was abnormally pale considering her skin tone. Gwen looked at the professor only to find him muttering desperate words under his breath as he gazed, unblinking, at Harry. "He can't be jinxing it…that's too evil, even for him."

"But he's clearly doing some sort of magic. And he's the only one," Hermione reasoned.

"What do we do?"

"You leave it to me."

Hermione disappeared into the crowd. Gwen watched through the overly-large binoculars as she crawled through the stands to the teachers section. The entire crowd was on their feet, making Hermione's journey easier. Putting her trust in her friend, Gwen turned her eyes back to Harry. His broom had begun vibrating and the Weasley twins were currently trying to pull Harry onto Fred's broom. However, his broom would simply elevate every time they neared. They gave up and flew below him, hoping to catch him if he fell.

Marcus Flint grabbed the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone realizing.

Refocusing on Hermione, Gwen observed as she ran behind Snape. accidentally knocking Professor Quirrell over in the process. Gwen watched as Hermione kneeled out of sight and reappeared a few seconds later with a jam jar full of blue fire. Meanwhile, the teachers were in panic. Snape was standing up, scrambling to look at the back of his robes while many others began to stomp on them. Quirrell looked thoroughly upset.

"Neville, it's okay! You can look now," Gwen gently pulled Neville off of her tearstained robes, where he had been hiding his eyes for some minutes. Harry's broom had stopped moving.

They looked up only to find him speeding at the ground. Harry began gagging and many students cringed as they anticipated where it was going. But instead of throw up, he heaved a small, golden ball.

"The Snitch," Gwen breathed.

"I got the Snitch!" Harry belted from the field.

The entire crowd erupted into some kind of reaction. The Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws were clapping enthusiastically and yelling above the noise "Glad it wasn't Slytherin". The Gryffindors were yelling and clapping and cheering and chanting Harry's name. The Slytherins were booing and complaining and putting their heads in their hands.

Ron ran off to join in the party in the common room with Dean and Seamus before Gwen could stop him. She had been contemplating telling him but he ran off before she could reach a decision. Life had decided for her.

oo0O0oo

'It was Snape," Gwen was explaining both to Hagrid and Harry.

"Rubbish," Hagrid replied. "Why would Snape do that?"

Gwen, Harry and Hermione looked at each other

"I found something, Hagrid. He was trying to get past the three-headed dog on Halloween, but it bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it is it's guarding." Harry finished.

Hagrid dropped his scone. "You know about Fluffy?"

"_Fluffy_?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a chap in the pub las' year - leant him to Dumbledore to guard-"

"Yes?" Harry said eagerly.

"I can't tell yeh so don't ask me. It's all top secret."

"But Snape's trying to _steal _it! Hagrid, we have to do something!" Hermione protested.

"Rubbish. He's a Hogwarts teacher. He'd do nothing' of the sort," Hagrid crossed his arms.

"So why would he try and kill Harry? Sure sounds like a good teacher to me," Gwen rolled her eyes and put as much sarcasm into the statement as possible. She was frustrated and couldn't control it.

"I know a jinx when I see one. I've read about them countless times. Most have incantations, as displayed by his muttering, but what is common with all of them is that you must keep eye contact at all times, and Snape wasn't blinking. I checked!" Hermione stood up.

"Yer wrong! I'm telling' yeh, what Fluffy's guardin' is between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel. It ain't yer business. Snape wouldn't try an' kill a student. This is dangerous business. Don't you go and meddle in it!" Hagrid's face flushed.

"Aha!" said Harry. "So someone named Nicholas Flamel is involved!"

"Good to know. Thanks Hagrid!" Gwen brightened up.

Hagrid looked positively livid.


	10. Chapter 9 pt1

**A/N: Thank you so much for waiting. Life's busy. I had lots of swim team stuff, competetive dance stuff and my theatre summer camp has it's opening night tomorrow! To make up for it, I am posting two chapters in the same day. Well, one chapter in two parts but the second part is kind of short. Thank you. Keep on reviewing.**

Mid-December was when the snow finally came. It froze the lake solid, covered the grounds in several feet of the white powder and gave Fred and George the much anticipated means of following Quirrell around and pelting the back of his turban with bewitched snowballs.

Most of the students were looking forward to the Christmas break more than anything. Students were getting more post than normal due to excessive planning. One morning, Ron was thinking about what to write to his mum. Gwen sat herself beside him. "Tell her how excited you are to be coming home for Christmas. Mum's love that stuff."

He nodded absentmindedly and scribbled an indecisive paragraph about being happy about being home for Christmas.

Hermione was going home to spend the holiday season with her parents. Being an only child, it was hard for her to even think about staying at school. She was sad about being away from her first friends for the whole break but knew she was needed and wanted at home.

Harry, Gwen knew, was slightly sensitive on the subject. It wasn't his choice to stay at Hogwarts. He couldn't go home. He had cryptically explained what his house was like but Gwen had a feeling he was holding back. But he immediately perked up when he found out that he wouldn't be alone.

Gwen was also staying back at Hogwarts for Christmas break. She knew Hermione was going to be gone. Ron was also planning to leave and Neville was going home as well. She had written to her parents explaining that she wished to stay back with Harry. Her parents were okay with it because they were driving to Devon County for and interview for a prep school they were looking at for Ellen. They had decided that since Gwen got to go to Hogwarts, Ellen should have a chance to go to a prep school for extensive art education. She was an exceptional painter.

"I feel so bad," Malfoy said one day in Potions, "for all those who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they are not wanted at home."

"And I do feel so bad for all those who have to go home for Christmas because they are not wanted at Hogwarts," Gwen whispered to Harry. He suppressed a laugh and continued to stir their shared cauldron. Malfoy had heard the comment and his mouth grew thin as he watched Gwen look over at him with an expression that was both smug and smiling.

Gwen knew that Malfoy had been craving attention ever since the Quidditch game. Harry had been the hero and no one found Malfoy's insults amusing now that Harry was a star - or, more so than he already was.

Earlier that week, Ron had gotten a letter saying that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to visit Charlie in Romania. They told their kids that they could come if they wanted. Ron jumped at the chance to see his cool older brother. Percy chose to stay back and "fulfill his duties as Prefect". Fred and George were coming to "have some fun with our little brother". So when Professor McGonagall had come around with the list of students staying over break, Harry and Gwen had been two of the only ones to stay.

They were leaving the Potions class that day. Ron was walking slower and they saw him stop and talk to a walking Christmas tree. "Must be Hagrid."

"Should we say hi?" asked Gwen.

"Look's like Snape and Malfoy beat us to it. Let's just go."

They passed by the giant hourglasses holding House points. As they walked by, they noticed five rubies disappear from the Gryffindor glass. "Ron," Gwen voiced their thoughts.

"Or rather, Malfoy."

"Let it go. To the library then?" Gwen lead the way.

They had been in the library a lot the past few weeks. Hermione, Gwen and Harry had been rapidly searching for references to Nicholas Flamel, knowing that once Christmas came, Hermione could no longer help. Harry had been skimming the smaller books while Gwen and Hermione shot through the thicker volumes. They had already tackled _Important Modern Magical Discoveries, Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, Notable Magical Names of Our Time _and _A Study of Recent Development in Wizardry. _And those were only the titles Gwen remembered. He wasn't in any of them.

And they were still wondering about the Restricted Section.

"Sorry we haven't found anything yet. You will keep looking while I'm away, of course. I'll let you know if I find anything and you'll owl me often. And tell me of any progress?" Hermione rambled.

"Of course."

"Hermione, we'll keep looking."

"And we'll owl you."

"Every few days I'm sure."

"You know, you two really are turning into the Weasley twins."

"Only when we agree, Hermione."

"And we agree that you really need to take a breath once and a while."

oo0O0oo

Life slowed down considerably then. Their entire year in Gryffindor was gone and the majority of the other years had gone home as well. Gwen and Harry both had their dormitories to themselves but they often fell asleep on the couch or in an armchair because they would be in the common room so late into the night.

Gwen taught Harry wizard chess. He was a lot more fun to play with than Ron and he lost nearly every time but they could both see that he was making real progress. Gwen continued to strategize because her goal was to be able to beat Hermione for when she returned.

They pocketed insane amounts of marshmallows and roasted them on spearing forks over the fire. They spent hours outside building forts and snowmen that looked like Snape before completely destroying them and punching them in their icy faces. They lay on the floor for hours practicing their spells. But most of all, they researched Nicholas Flamel.

They went to the library at least once a day for at least half an hour. As much as they went through the books it was in the back of both of their minds that he was either not in the library or he was in the restricted section.

Christmas Eve came all too slow and they went to bed in their separate dormitories when it finally arrived, feelings quite different. Gwen was excited - she loved Christmas, and Harry wasn't expecting anything. Gwen woke up first and ran into Harry's dorm. She jumped on his bed, startling him awake.

"Merry Christmas, Harry! Get up! It's time to open presents!"

"Presents?"

"Yes presents. There's some for you!"

"Me?"

He stumbled out of bed and put his glasses on. She grabbed him and pulled him to the side of his dorm where his presents were. She had brought hers in as well. He found that she had already separated the presents into two piles - one for each of them.

"I've got presents!"

"Of course, stupid. It's Christmas. You go first. Open one," Gwen instructed.

Harry tore open a package to reveal a crudely whittled wooden flute. When he blew it, it sounded quite off key, sort of like a bird.

"It's from Hagrid," Harry explained.

"Cool! Hey, I got one too."

Harry then received a very thin card with a fifty-pence piece taped to it. "It's from my aunt and uncle."

"Thoughtful," Gwen didn't give a second look to the money as she was accustomed to it.

"What have you got?" Harry saw Gwen reading a note from her parents. There was a small package sitting beside her.

"The package is a Lord of the Rings book and my parents also wrote that they're going to buy me a new CD for my diskman."

It went on much the same way. Harry and Gwen both received a jumper and some fudge from Mrs. Weasley. Gwen's jumper was a dove grey colour and Harry's was emerald green. Percy came down part way through the morning with his jumper. He had it around his arm, reluctant to put it on.

"I'm going to breakfast but don't cause anything too disruptive. I've reminded all of the dormitories."

"Alright Percy."

Harry opened up a card near the end. It was a piece of paper with "Merry Christmas Harry!" written on the outside. The cover was blank other than that. When he opened it up, the inside was also blank excepting three gold hoops on the far right side and three gold hoops on the left. Each hoop was a different length. As he watched, seven figures on broomsticks dressed in maroon robes flew out. One carried a Quaffle with two others flying just behind. One of the figures flew around the hoops on the right in a continuous circle and two others soared around swinging tiny wooden bats around. The seventh figure zigzagged about over the other six's heads, diving down off the page every once and a while only to reappear and continue it's patterns a short time later. Harry recognized it as the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The Seeker even had tiny glasses on his face.

"Merry Christmas Harry," Gwen smiled brightly.

"It's from you?"

"Yes. I got my sister to draw the figures and she sent it back to me so I could charm the characters to move. Do you like it?"

"It's brilliant!" Harry grinned and look back down at the card.

"Good. Then let's open our presents from Hermione. They're shaped like sweets."

Gwen and Harry ripped open their packages. Harry's was a giant box of chocolate frogs and Gwen had a huge container of liquorice wands. They spilt both piles in half and swapped.

"I think that's all of them-"

"What's that?" Harry pointed at an oddly shaped package with his name on it. He picked it up and sat it in his lap. Gwen scooted closer and propped herself on her knees.

"Well, aren't you going to open it?"

He gently unwrapped the paper and a pile of fabric slid to the floor where it lay, shimmering beneath them. Harry picked it up. It was long and thin and had something of a hood. "I think it's a cloak or something." He threw it around his shoulders.

Gwen opened her mouth but only a small "uh" came out. "H-Harry," she started. "That's an Invisibility Cloak. I've read about those."

Harry looked down at himself and started. His body was completely invisible. "My body's invisible!"

"Yeah!" Gwen laughed. "You're just a floating head."

"This is great!"

"Hey look, a note fell out of it. Does it say who sent it?"

"No, it doesn't say. It just says '_Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well'. _No signature…" Harry went quiet, brooding as he gazed almost longingly at the note. He sat down slowly.

Gwen looked over at him. She could tell that he was a little bit in shock that he had something that had belonged to his father. He was holding it in his hands "Harry, I'm going to breakfast. I'll see you in a bit," she said quietly before standing up and creeping down to the Great Hall, not even bothering to change out of her pajamas.

oo0O0oo

The next three meals were the best that both Gwen and Harry had ever had. There were too many courses to mention. What Gwen remembered the most were the wizard crackers. They let out large bangs and tons of prizes. By the end of Christmas dinner, Dumbledore ended up with a flowered bonnet on his head and Gwen was sporting a black top hat that sat too low over her eyes.

Gwen and Harry finally took their leave and spent the rest of their evening on the grounds, playing in the snow. The two of them came marching into the common room a few hours later, soaking wet and freezing. They earned themselves each a reproachful glare from Percy which made Gwen's task of brushing the ice out her hair quite worth it.

When the night was over Gwen felt satisfied with her day. She and Harry had ended it quite well with a game of 'Hey Percy! Guess where we hid your Prefect badge!' At the end of it all Harry had given a giant yawn and tripped up to bed, proclaiming himself tired. Gwen had moved to the couch to finish up some things before she went to bed.

A few hours later, Gwen was still sitting on the couch, playing a game of wizard chess against herself when she heard a noise. The common room was very silent because it was very late and Gwen could distinctly hear a hushed breathing and soft footsteps. She knew that they were almost beside her and she turned her head slightly. There was nothing there but the noises continued. Now Gwen may have been eleven years old, but she was not stupid. She could put two and two together.

"Hi Harry."

A pause.

"Hi Gwen."

She walked over to the breathing and pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of him. "Where could you possibly be going?"

"I-I…was just going for a walk," He looked at her, knowing full well that it was the stupidest answer he could have come up with.

"So am I," He watched as Gwen slipped the cloak on and climbed out of the portrait hole, completely invisible.

"Gwen, wait!" He rushed out into the hallway only find her standing there, waiting for him, Invisibility Cloak in her hands and a small smile on her face.

"You were going to the Restricted Section, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"Well come on then, let me under!" Gwen crossed her arms, dead serious.

"What?"

"You heard me, Harry. Do you honestly think I'm going to let you wander around the school alone. If you get caught by Filch I would know it was because I didn't stop you - or come with you. And besides that, we both know that you'll get yourself lost."

Harry had been wanting to take his first trip around the school with his father's cloak alone but something about the thought of having Gwen along, and the way she felt comfortable enough to invite herself, changed his mind. She was his first and best friend and there were some things that only the best of friends could do with you. "Gwen, you know you're my best friend?" He whispered as she pulled the cloak evenly over the both of them.

"And you're mine."


	11. Chapter 9 pt2

**A/N: Okay, this is the second part. The writing after the xxXXxxXX is a scene without Gwen in it but I felt that it would be cool to add as a bonus scene to explain some stuff. Enjoy. Review!**

_Continued… _

The walk to the library was frightening. Neither of them said a word the whole way. When they finally reached the library they found it pitch black. Slipping out from under the cloak, Gwen lit a lamp and ventured ahead, stepping over the robes that separated the Restricted Section from the rest of the room.

Harry came in next and took off the cloak, draping it over his arm carefully. Gwen held the lamp up to the shelves as they read the titles. Most of them were in unfamiliar languages and a vast amount of the English ones had paint that was so peeled you couldn't't read it anyways. Some had odd stains and all were dusty. It gave Gwen a very eerie feeling just to be around those books.

Gwen watched as Harry uncertainly pulled out one of the cleaner, more readable books from the shelf. She gently set down the lamp and was about to pick out a book for herself when Harry's volume let out a terrifying shriek. He slammed the book closed but the screaming continued.

Loud footsteps could be heard running towards the library. In a panic, Gwen jumped the rope and ran to the side of the room. Knocking some books to the floor and dragging several chairs around she created a sort cage for herself. She shrunk down and watched as Harry looked at her worriedly before throwing the cloak around himself and disappearing.

Filch came into the room in a rage. His outstretched arm held up a lamp and Gwen saw his sleeve rustle slightly and she knew Harry had escaped. Filch shuffled about the room quickly. Gwen's breath caught in her throat as he stood right next to her hiding place and she was impossibly glad that he didn't have Mrs. Norris with him to sniff her out. A loud yowl sounded from the doorway soon after. How terribly ironic.

"Found them have you, my sweet?" Filch ran off, wheezing with the exertion of the chase. Gwen didn't know how long she lay there. She just listened to her rapid breath and focused on steadying it. Seconds, minutes, hours maybe. At one point, Snape stalked into the library and inspected the Restricted Section quite thoroughly. His cold, black eyes turned her way and she froze up but if he had seen her, he didn't say anything because he turned on his heel and stomped into the hall a moment later, his expression tensing with every step he took.

"Gwen!" A low whisper came from between some of the spokes of the chair by Gwen's head. She pushed it to the side. Only one thing could talk to her without being visible.

"Harry?"

"Of course. You're never going to believe what I found! Come here!" He whipped the cloak off and helped her out.

"Well, are you going to let me under?" Gwen looked at him expectantly.

"Sorry!" He threw the Invisibility Cloak around the both of them. Together they shuffled out into the hallway, trying their best to balance the cloak while walking. Harry led her down several corridors and into an open door.

It appeared to be an empty classroom. The tables and chairs were all stacked to one side. In the centre of the room was a mirror. The mirror was very large and shiny with a beautiful golden frame. It stood on two feet. Across the top was: _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_.

"Harry? What are we doing in here?" Gwen pushed the cloak off of her and turned to face her friend, waiting for him to become visible as well.

"My family," Harry spoke as if was the most obvious thing in the world. Gwen could tell that he was ecstatic.

"Harry," she said gently. "Your family…you know that they're…well…" Gwen struggled to let him down softly. She wasn't sure if he was delusional or something else.

"I know. I meant when you look in that mirror, you can see my family. My mother, my father, my uncles and aunts - all of them!" Harry ran over to the mirror and his face simply lit up. Gwen moved beside him. All she could see was them. It showed their reflections like a regular mirror.

"I can only see us, Harry."

"No, no. Stand here, where I am. I'm sure that it's the proper spot for looking!" He moved aside and held her shoulders, urgently guiding her directly in front of the glass.

"Harry, that's not you family…"

"Of course it is," he snapped. Calming himself, he continued. "Well, if not my family, what do you see?"

"Me. But I'm older. Maybe eighteen or twenty. And I'm beautiful, I really grew into my looks just like my cousins said I would." Her voice was full of hurt, as if she was remembering some awful teasing hidden behind a less offensive statement '_I'm sure you'll grow into your looks someday…'_

"Just you? Don't you see your family all around you?" Harry took a step forward.

"No. Behind me is…wow…Lavender and Parvati and Neville and you and Hermione and Dean and Seamus and Ron and Fred and George. You're all looking at me like they are congratulating me. And I look so happy. And my finger! Oh my gosh, there's a ring on it! Somebody actually wanted to marry me…" Gwen was absolutely mesmerized.

"But - but my family…Here, let me have a turn now."

"You already had a turn, Harry. Just a few minutes, please?" Gwen sunk to her knees and pressed her fingers lightly to the mirror, her face completely focused on the vision in front of her.

About half an hour later, after they had both had many more turns in front of the mirror, Gwen finally got Harry away from the room and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Goodnight Harry."

"'Night Gwen."

Gwen began to climb the stairs to her dormitory for the night when she turned around to say goodnight to Harry. But when she turned around again, she could've sworn that out of the corner of her eye, she saw him leave the common room once more to visit the mirror.

xxXXxxXXxxXXxx

"So - back again Harry?"

"I-I didn't see you, sir."

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, smiling. "So, you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, sir."

"But I expect you've realised by now what it does?"

"It - well - it shows me my family-"

"And it shows you're friend Gwen with a ring on her finger."

"How did you know-?"

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

"It shows us what we want…whatever we want…" Harry said slowly.

"Yes and no, " said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing all around you. Guinevere Montgomery, who has always lived with the idea that she was unlovable, sees herself surrounded by her peers, loved not only in the common way of companionship but also in the most mysterious way it is possible to be loved by another, romantically. However, this mirror gives us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."

"Sir, how did you know what Gwen thought of herself?"

"We monitor possible students, Harry. That does involve some observations on our part. We cannot help it if we discover some things that may have not been ours to see. Now, the Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever _do _run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woollen socks. One can never have enough socks. Another other Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

Harry looked at him and then wandered back to bed. Gwen was up waiting for him. He spoke of the conversation and Dumbledore was very surprised when he returned to his office later the next day to find a very thick pair of socks on his desk with a note addressed to him. He was extremely pleased when he recognised the writing as one Guinevere Montgomery and promptly put them on, thinking that the young Gryffindor would be very good for Harry and hopefully, someday, good for the world.


	12. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay, I hope you like this chapter. I'm quite satisfyed with how it came out. Also, I have a request. I am planing to write the second year of this but I'm pretty much out of ideas. I know how all the other years will go but I'm almost tempted to just get Gwen petrifyed so I don't have to write it. If you have any ideas, please leave them in your review or PM me. That'd be great. Enjoy and review!**

Harry didn't go back to the mirror again after Dumbledore gave him a warning, but he confided in Gwen that he had recently begun having horrid dreams involving a bright green flash and a high, cruel laugh. She looked at him worriedly when he told her and she responded with, "Green? Like the night your parents died?" and a sympathetic hug.

Hermione returned and was extremely disappointed to find that they hadn't found out who Nicholas Flamel was. She was also quite annoyed by their highly forbidden late-night escapades. They were sure that they were never going to find Flamel, though Harry kept insisting that he had read the name somewhere before.

If possible, Harry's Quidditch practices had gotten even more intense. Oliver Wood seemed to be on some kind of slave driving rampage and he held practices whenever he could get away with it. Gwen had taken it upon herself to come to each one of said practices, rain or shine, wand handy, in case Snape showed up looking to finish what he started.

One such practice, there seemed to be some sort of argument occurring near the end. Gwen sat on the edge of her seat as Wood gave the team one of his famous speeches. The twins had been fooling around and Wood yelled something at them. The entire team froze up and George Weasley toppled off his broom. Everyone landed and began complaining to Wood.

Gwen watched, wand ready as always, waiting for Harry to come and explain. As the rest of the team hung around after changing to talk to each other, Harry shot like bullet into the castle. Gwen stood up and took a step forward.

"_Expelliarmus!_" A voice barked behind her. Her wand flew out of her hand and she whipped around, swinging her fist.

"Whoa!" George exclaimed as he ducked under her arm.

"Oy, watch it!" Fred hollered good naturedly.

"Sorry," Gwen stuck her hand out for her wand.

"That wasn't quite the reaction we were going for."

"Wand."

"Here you are. Thought we'd come over and fill you in," George explained, handing her wand back to her.

"Yeah, with Harry running off like that-"

"We knew you'd be curious-"

"But it really is awful!"

"Terrible!"

"What?" Gwen looked at them impatiently.

"Snape's refereeing our next match!" They chorused.

Gwen eye's widened as she stared at them.

"She took that well, didn't she Gred?"

"She did too."

"Snape?"

"That's what we said," Fred's expression darkened. "He's never refereed a match so long as Oliver's been here. And he's a fifth year too."

George nodded. "Thought we'd teach you a spell in case he tries anything."

"Tries anything?" Gwen didn't think the Weasley's knew.

"Like a Confundus Charm. Wouldn't put it past him."

"Alright then. Show me."

"But we already have," Fred grinned.

"Oh yeah…_Expelliarmus!_" George's wand flew into Gwen's hand. "I think I'll keep this."

"Right."

Fred and George got on either side of her and each grabbed an arm. They lifted her into the air and snatched George's wand.

"You could've just asked for it back."

oo0O0oo

When Gwen retuned to the common room, she saw Harry explaining the situation to an open mouthed Ron and Hermione. They were pale, though where Ron looked just slightly concerned and confused, Hermione looked truly fearful.

"Gwen!" She called. "You'll never believe-

"Fred and George told me. Harry, I'm sure it'll be fine. Don't worry."

"Don't worry?" Hermione shrieked, sounding remarkably like Pansy Parkinson. "Harry, you have to back out."

"I can't - there's no reserve Seeker. I play or we forfeit."

"Why would it be so bad. I know it's not a great situation, but you three are acting as if Snape'll try to kill Harry." Ron looked back and forth between the other three.

They exchanged a look but were saved from answering by Neville bursting through the portrait hole with his legs solidly attached to each other. Hermione jumped up and muttered the counter curse and once he could walk, Gwen led him over to the couch and sat beside him, Harry finally taking a seat as well.

"What happened Neville? How did you end up like _that_?" Gwen asked.

"Malfoy," Neville gulped. "I met him just outside the library and he told me he needed someone to practice on."

"You should report him immediately!" said Hermione.

"I don't want more trouble."

"You have to stand up to him," insisted Ron. "He always does this to people but that doesn't mean you should just take it!"

"No need to say I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that."

"Oh, Neville," Gwen put her hand on his shoulder as Harry handed him a Chocolate Frog. "You're a perfectly great Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat knows what it's doing. None of us are as brave as we think we should be anyways."

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy. And he's stuck in stupid Slytherin. No wonder he's mad when you come around. He's jealous." Harry smiled encouragingly.

"Thank Gwen. I feel better. You too Harry. Do you want the card? You collect them, right?" Neville stood up and wiped his cheeks, a smile etched faintly into his features at this point. He wandered up the stairs to his dormitory as Harry gasped.

"What?" Ron looked up immediately.

"Um - I forgot that sometimes people disappear in magical photos…" Harry stuttered a lie.

Hermione looked up and took her cue. "We're going to the library to study."

"Okay, you do that. I think I'll go to bed," Ron looked fairly put off with the idea of going to the library and glanced back slightly suspicious as he climbed the stairs.

Harry led them into the hallway and pulled them off to the side. "_I've found him!_" He whispered. "I've found Flamel! I _told _you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here - listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularity famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, _and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel'!_"

Hermione let out a gasp and dashed back into the common room with a yell of, "Stay there. I'll be right back!"

She returned with a thick volume that she slammed down on the ground. They kneeled as she flipped frantically through the pages. Suddenly, she exclaimed "I knew it! I _knew_ it!" Causing Harry and Gwen to flinch in surprise.

"_Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!_" she read dramatically.

Harry just stared blankly while Gwen grabbed for the book. "The Philosopher's Stone? This is bigger than we thought!"

"The what?" Harry looked utterly confused.

"The Philosopher's Stone. The key to immortality and riches unlimited. Don't you know? You've never heard of it?" Gwen saw Harry shake his head.

Silently, Hermione slid the book over to Harry and pointed at the passage that explained what the Philosopher's Stone was. He read it and took in a sharp breath once he was finished.

"See? That's what the dog's guarding. Flamel must've asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, since they're friends." Reasoned Hermione. "He knew someone was after it and wanted it moved from Gringott's."

"Well, of course someone's after it. The thing's like a miracle. Honestly, who _wouldn't _want it?" Harry said.

"Well that's it then, you have to play in that match. Otherwise, Snape will know that we've figured it out."

Harry nodded grimly and Hermione snapped the book closed. They were not ready to deal with Snape refereeing the match. But they would not have a choice. They had to be ready.

oo0O0oo

As Hermione and Gwen nudged their way into the stands a few days later beside Neville just before Harry's match against Hufflepuff, they were discreetly practising wand movements. Hermione had been diligently practising the Leg-Locker Curse - inspired by Neville's unfortunate run-in with Malfoy - and Gwen had been working to master the Disarming Charm.

"Hi Neville," said Hermione with a worried grimace.

Gwen was no better. "Nice day," she said absently, looking as though it was not at all a nice day.

"Hi Gwen, Hermione. Yeah, I guess it is a nice day," Neville looked at them curiously and for the life of him couldn't figure out why they looked so grim and serious. He stopped wondering immediately when he saw Snape march onto the field, looking as if he would rather be swooping aimlessly about the school, delivering punishments like he usually did.

"Snape's refereeing?" Neville whimpered.

"Yep," scowled Gwen.

"Well, it was a nice idea that we _could've _won…"

"You two are such pessimists. Better to say that our team can rise above this." Hermione swished her wand once more. Neville glanced at it, quite confused as to why they would have brought their wands to a school Quidditch game.

"_This _being a biased referee."

Hermione shot Gwen a look. She was not being helpful. She was talking just how Hermione felt and it was not assisting her in repressing those worries.

Ron edged up into the stands just as they finished their conversation. He stood next to them and complained rather loudly about Snape being the referee. Suddenly, he stumbled forward and anger crossed his every feature. Gwen went cold. '_We do _not _have time to deal with this today!'_

"Oh, sorry Weasley, didn't see you there."

"I'll bet you didn't" Gwen muttered.

"Well hello there, Montgomery. Care to place a bet on how long Potter will stay on his broom this time?" Malfoy smirked, glancing proudly from Crabbe to Goyle as they laughed at his comment.

"He never fell off in the first place," Gwen pointed out.

Malfoy glared.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later. "It's people they feel sorry for. See there's Potter who's got no parents and the Weasley's who haven't got any money. Hey - you should be on the team Longbottom - you've got no brains!"

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron distractedly muttered, "You tell him, Neville."

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that saying something!"

Ron clenched his jaw. "One more word, Malfoy - I'm warning you."

"Ron! Gwen! Look - Harry!" Hermione grabbed Ron and Gwen and turned them around. Harry was speeding at the ground. Clearly he had seen the Snitch and was going for it.

"Wow, it seems you're in luck, Weasley. Looks like Potter's spotted some money on the ground he'll give to you," Malfoy sneered.

"Okay, that's it," Gwen's voice was even but she was turning herself to face the three Slytherins behind her. Ron had already gotten to them and was wrestling Malfoy to the ground. Gwen stood there for a minute, not to keen on getting into a fight when Hermione might need her help keeping Snape in check.

Neville hesitated but clambered over the seat behind him to go help. Malfoy and Ron were rolling around punching each other at this point and Neville, Crabbe and Goyle had started throwing their feet and fists around. Making up her mind, Gwen jumped the seats and took Goyle by surprise, knocking him to the ground from the back.

Crabbe was about to land a punch on the side of Neville's head - one that would knock him out cold for sure - when Gwen grabbed his wrist and bumped Neville out of the way as she threw a punch in Crabbe's gut. He doubled over, wind completely knocked out of him. Together, they took on Goyle but Crabbe stood back up and knocked Neville on the side of the head and stomped on Gwen's foot. Gwen screeched in intense pain while Neville crumpled to the ground.

"Neville!" Gwen called, shaking him. Crabbe and Goyle were about to go for her again when the crowd rose to their feet, cheering loudly.

"Gwen! Gwen! Harry's done it! He's gone and caught the Snitch!" Hermione cheered, jumping up and down, hugging Parvati Patil who was in the row in front of them.

Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy backed off immediately and stomped away to join in with the other Slytherins groaning about Harry's amazing catch. Ron stood up, his nose bloody and yelled louder than anyone. Gwen rose from the ground and hobbled over to Hermione.

"Hermione, I think my toe's broken. And Neville's out cold. I'm going to take him to the Hospital Wing, okay?"

"Alone? Gwen, you'll never be able to get anywhere, especially not with that toe. Seamus! Could you come over here please? It would be great if you would help Gwen bring herself and Neville to the Hospital Wing." Hermione was busy tucking her wand away.

"Sure thing. Here - you take his legs."

Seamus was a big help. As soon as they got into the castle, it was easier since there were no crowds.

"So, what happened? To both of you," He glanced down at Gwen's foot, which she was teetering awkwardly on to minimize pain.

"We got into a fight with Malfoy and his thugs. Same old story."

Eventually, they reached the Hospital Wing. Seamus helped her load Neville into a bed and ran to fetch Madame Pomfrey so that Gwen didn't have to. She came bustling in, Seamus in tow, carrying several bottles of potion.

She bent over Neville, clucking her tongue while inspecting the small bruise above his left ear. It had just begun to form a moment ago. She cast several charms over him and dripped a bright orange fluid into his mouth carefully. Sighing, Madame Pomfrey stood back up and faced Gwen.

"Now, let's have a look at that foot then."

She peeled off the sock carefully. Her middle two toes were purple and oddly shaped while the other three toes were quite red and throbbing. It only took about two minutes for her foot to go back to normal but Madame Pomfrey told Gwen she ought to stay a while, just to make sure she was alright. With that, she gathered her bottles and marched back through the door on the other side of the room.

"Thanks Seamus," Gwen looked up. She had been sitting on the bed next to Neville's, looking curiously at her repaired toes.

"No problem. It was my pleasure."

"You don't have to stay," Gwen commented after a minute or so of silence.

"I know. I thought I'd just stay for a little bit, at least until you're okay to go or Hermione or Harry show up," he smiled at her and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

She gave him a giant grin that grew wider still when he produced a game of exploding snap from his back pocket. They were not five minutes into the game when Madame Pomfrey came swooping in to confiscate the "disturbance". They had a good laugh about it.

Harry and Hermione burst in then. Harry looked extremely flustered while Hermione simply looked concerned and confused. Gwen stood up immediately when they came in. Seamus stood up as well and glanced from them to Gwen a few times before starting to walk towards the door.

"I'll be going now. G'bye Gwen, hope your toe's are better."

"Thanks Seamus. See you later."

He walked out the door and as soon as he was gone, she dragged her friends over to a bed and pulled the curtains around it. "Okay, you obviously found something out, Harry. Tell us."

He told them that he had seen Snape go into the Forbidden Forest in a cloak. He had been in there with Quirrell and it sounded as if Quirrell had been standing up to him. Snape had wanted to know something, some enchantment of sorts that Quirrell had created and how to get past it.

"So there's other thing's guarding the Stone. Other than that fluffy beast?" Gwen shivered with the thought of what else could be just as dangerous as the monster.

"That's what I think. And if Quirrell tells Snape about how to get past his spell, then Snape will actually stand a chance of stealing it," Harry said gravely.

"I should have known. It would be all too easy for a fully trained wizard to subdue something like Fluffy. There are powerful sleep spells and fire spells - all sorts. Of course there are other things guarding it," Hermione nodded as she spoke.

"But then the Stone will only be safe if Quirrell doesn't give in?" Gwen looked positively horrified.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to learn to deal with an immortal Snape."

They looked at each other in pure horror. This was worse than they had originally thought.


	13. Chapter 11

**A/N: I got this one out really fast because it might be the first one in a while. I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of September but no promises. I'm starting highschool for the first time on Tuesday and I have no way of guaging how busy I'll get (I've got so many other activities too). This chapter I liked as well. I'm so glad I'm finally branching out a bit more from the original, but atleast for the first year it's hard to change too much without totally altering the charcters. Well, please review and enjoy!**

By the end of the week, Gwen was the only one who still wore her hat, excluding a few fourth years who were in on a joke and the head boy. Even Percy, who did anything he could to look as important as possible, had decided that he was either tired of the hat or above wearing it. Still, every morning after she put on her robes, Gwen carefully placed the pointed hat atop her head and walked proudly to her classes, ignoring the funny looks she got and the Weasley twins whisperings of a plan to prank her hat. They told her that the next time she put on her hat, her hair would turn blonde but she knew that third years were surely not capable of that sort of spell.

Life continued to be uneventful. Harry, Hermione and Gwen stopped by the third floor often to make sure that the dog was still there, to assure themselves that the Stone was safe. Harry made Gwen give Quirrell a reassuring smile whenever she passed him in the halls. He seemed to be holding up, even if he did seem even more sickly every day. And Hermione was getting crazier every day.

"I think she's gone mental," Gwen whispered to Harry one day in the common room. They were going over each other's History of Magic homework. They would ask Hermione to help but they were afraid to disturb her.

She was lying on the floor with a text book in front of her and several lengths of parchment scattered about her. Some had writing on them and most of the messy scribble had been covered in angry 'X's and blobs of spilled ink. Her hair was messy and she was muttering to herself at an alarming rate.

She claimed she was studying for exams. Two and a half months in advance.

Often she would decide that it would be a good idea to drag Harry, Gwen and Ron to the library. She sat at a table reciting various lists of things while Gwen bent over her book intently, Harry rubbed at his eyes behind his glasses and Ron leaned back in his chair and bounced his quill off the windowpane.

"I'm sick of this! Let's go outside!" Ron exclaimed, slamming his book closed on one such afternoon.

"Hmph!" Hermione huffed and proceeded to recite the twelve uses of dragon's blood louder than before.

Gwen looked up only to see Ron stand up and cross his arms. He began to walk away when he burst out, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Harry glanced up quickly and Hermione pushed her book away and leaned back in chair to get a look at Hagrid's face.

"Nothin', nothing'. Jus' lookin'," He sounded very suspicious. "What're you lot up ter?" He asked, changing the subject quickly.

"Just studying," Gwen replied.

"Not still looking fer…" He glanced at Harry who gave him a look that clearly said "don't say Nicholas Flamel" and gestured to Ron. "That History o' Magic person?" Hagrid said slowly.

"No, no. We found him ages ago. I don't know really why we bothered looking. Anyways, now we're looking up on a new topic. Other than studying for exams, I was looking for a book titled_ 'The Other Things Guarding the Stone_'. Maybe you know?" Gwen smirked.

"SHHH!" Hagrid panicked. "That book's _restricted_. You shouldn' say that too loud. You can visit me later. G'bye," Hagrid edged out of the library, hands holding something behind his back.

"What on earth would Hagrid be doing in the library?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm going to check what section he was in."

Gwen watched as Ron dashed to where Hagrid had been.

"It's full of books on dragons!" He exclaimed, showing them several of the books he had gathered from the shelves. "Mostly ones about different species and dragon keepers guides."

"Hagrid said he always wanted a dragon. Told me so first time I ever met him," Harry said.

"But it's illegal to keep dragons!"

"It is?"

"Of course!" Ron sounded exasperated. "You can't keep a dragon under wraps. They grow really fast and they breath fire - remember? The Muggle's spot the wild ones sometimes and it isn't pretty. Imagine what would happen if it would be okay to have one as a pet!"

"Then what on earth was Hagrid doing in the dragon section?"

When they were going to visit Hagrid a while later, Ron was writing a letter to his mum. He told them he'd be along in about ten minutes and so they went on without him.

When they got in, Gwen immediately rolled up her pants and slumped down in a chair. Hermione fanned herself while Harry tugged at his shirt. It was absolutely sweltering inside, even worse than the summer the temperature had reached forty and they had a drought for almost a month. Gwen hadn't had fun that summer.

"I guess yeh figured it out then"

"Yes," answered Hermione simply.

"We wanted to know what else is guarding the Stone, you know - aside from Fluffy."

Hagrid looked at Harry quite seriously. "Yeh know I can't tell yeh that. I don't quite know meself an' the Stone's bein' protected fer a good reason. It's outta Gringotts because it was almost stolen - but o' course yeh've figured that already. No idea how yeh found out about all this stuff."

"Oh Hagrid, why of course you know. You know everything that goes on here because Dumbledore trusts you so much," Hermione smiled sweetly at him.

Gwen and Harry looked at each other, barely keeping their mouths from falling open in shock.

"But we really only wondered about the guarding really. Not what but who. Who could Dumbledore possibly trust as much as you?" Gwen pursued Hermione approach.

"Well, eh, there's me o' course, but yeh knew that. Then some teachers did some things….Professor Sprout an' Professor Flitwick….Professor McGonagall and Professor Quirrell…Dumbledore did somethin' himself….and Professor Snape. Almost forgot him."

"S-Snape?" Gwen stuttered. She cursed a word that no adult would want to hear an eleven year old say. Her stutter had returned. She hadn't had a problem with that since September.

"Yes, Snape. See, he wouldn' go an' steal the Stone. He helped protect it!" Hagrid protested.

"W-well, as long as no one else knows how to get by Fluffy…" Gwen eyed Hagrid meaningfully. He nodded.

Harry was about to say something when a knock sounded on the door. They fell silent, knowing that their conversation was not for everybody's ears. When Hagrid opened the door, they saw Ron standing there. He entered and took a seat.

"Hagrid!" He cried out suddenly. "Where on _earth_ did you get that?" Ron gestured to the fire.

Harry, Hermione and Gwen stepped forward to get a better look at the giant black egg on the fire.

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"What will you possibly do when it hatches?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library —Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit — it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on 'em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here — how ter recognize diff'rent eggs — what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

"Yeah, rare and _illegal_," Gwen pointed out worriedly.

Hagrid pretended that he hadn't heard her.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house." Hermione's voice was full of concern.

Again Hagrid didn't respond. He was humming to himself while he loaded more wood onto the fire.

As they walked away from the hut Ron sighed."That thing looked like it was going to hatch soon and once it does, well, let's just say that this problem will not be able to be kept in a hut."

oo0O0oo

_It's hatching_.

Gwen walked to Herbology with Hermione. They were both silent, faces creased with thought.

_It's hatching_.

Ron and Harry walked together, but their journey was far from silent.

"C'mon, let's just skip Herbology and go see Hagrid. It's not an important class anyways!"

"Sorry Ron. We can't. There's no way we're going without Gwen or Hermione and they said this morning that they didn't want to skip class."

"How many times do you see a real dragon hatching?"

"Shhh!" Harry saw Malfoy watching them - and listening.

After Herbology, they abruptly dropped what they were doing and bolted to Hagrid's hut, Gwen grabbing Hermione's wrist to stop her protesting.

"Almost out!" Hagrid said excitedly as they opened the door to his hut.

They watched intently as the cracks in the egg currently lying on the table became deeper and more frequent and then suddenly it split open.

Hermione, Harry and Gwen all jumped back while Ron and Hagrid remained in place. The dragon was far from cute, although he did look rather funny. Its wings were too big for its body and it was all black. It slid around and didn't have any balance at all. Its eyes were large and orange and when it sneezed a moment later, a couple of sparks flew in Gwen's direction.

"He's so beautiful," Hagrid was all choked up.

"Yeah…right…" Gwen stuck her finger out to poke the thing but it snapped at her and she jumped behind Harry.

"Hagrid, how fast will, um…it grow?" Hermione looked at the dragon, nervous that it would come at her.

Before Hagrid could respond, Gwen leaped to her feet and bolted out of the door. Harry, Ron and Hermione ran out after her and even Hagrid poked his head out.

Gwen had Malfoy by the collar - he was too skinny for his age and was about an inch or two shorter than her. She was glaring into his eyes when he squirmed from her grasp and dashed back in the direction of the school, laughing as he went. The other three went back into the hut to explain things to Hagrid but Gwen stayed out and watched, hands on her hips, as Malfoy turned to look at her as she glowered after him.

oo0O0oo

Every time Malfoy looked at her for the next week, Gwen gave him an "are you going to tell?" face. His smirk would grow even wider.

"Just let him go," Harry reasoned with Hagrid. They had been spending far too much time in his hut, begging him to listen to logic. "He's better off free!"

"No!" Hagrid gasped. "He's so little, so tiny. He's just a baby. He'd get bullied. He'd die."

"What do you think "_little"_ guy? Would you be the victim? Or the bully?" Gwen looked down at the smoking monster.

"Norbert."

"What?" Hermione looked from the dragon to Hagrid, not sure if she'd heard correctly.

"I'm callin' him Norbert. Suits him, don't yeh think?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Hagrid, what will you do when he grows out of your house? Malfoy is going to go to Dumbledore - or Snape - any day now!" Harry clenched his fist.

"I know," Hagrid let out a loud sniff. "But I can't jus' abandon him. He'd be lonely!"

"Charlie."

Gwen looked at Harry. "Harry that's brilliant!"

"My brother? But he's in-"

"Romania. Studying _dragons_."

"Perfect." Ron grinned.

They sent the letter off to Charlie Weasley later that evening. They spent the rest of the week waiting. On one such night, Ron scrambled into the practically empty common room with a furious sort of expression. He was holding his right hand aloft.

"It bit me!" He cried, sitting down in between Harry and Hermione. Gwen moved over to make room for the additional person.

"Bloody dragon went and took a snap at my hand. Got me too. All I was doing was trying to feed the thing and Hagrid told me off for scaring it!"

Before Hermione could tell him off for his language, Harry let out an excited "hey" and went over to the window to let Hedwig in.

_Dear Ron,_

_Nice to hear from you. It would be great to have a Ridgeback - we don't have one down here yet! But it wont be easy getting him here. Some old friends of mine are going by your way and they said they'd pick him up but they can't be caught. Say midnight up in the tallest tower this Saturday? They'll meet you there and make sure the dragon is ready to travel. Please reply soon,_

_Love Charlie_

"The invisibility cloak will help here," Harry said after a moment of silence. "It shouldn't be too hard to pull off."

"But, which of us will come?" Hermione looked around at her friends.

"Well, I'm not. I'll be no help at all." Ron looked at his hand angrily.

"You and Gwen can go, Harry. I don't have to come."

"No way, Hermione. Harry go get the cloak!" Gwen ordered.

After trying it on, they found that without the dragon, they could fit the three of them under with the cloak touching the floor - if Gwen slouched, of course. After testing it out with a large stack of books and other things, they found that with the dragon, their shoes would be visible, but their shoes were black anyway so it didn't matter.

The next day, Harry Gwen and Hermione ended their day by rushing up to the Hospital Wing to visit Ron, who's hand had turned an awful shade of green and swollen twice its original size. And he hadn't had a good day up there either.

"Malfoy came up to have a laugh at me - said he'd wanted to borrow a book. And he kept going on about how funny it would be if he let it slip what had bitten me. It's all 'cause I gave him a black eye at the Quidditch game. But he's one to talk - gave one to Gwen the first week!" Ron ranted.

"It'll all be over soon," Hermione said.

But it wasn't over yet. Malfoy had borrowed a book from Ron - the one with the note from Charlie in it.

"You didn't throw it out?" Gwen moaned.

"There's no way we can reschedule anyways. We have to go. We have the cloak though, so we haven't much to worry about." Harry looked as though he thought quite differently, however.

Hagrid didn't take it quite well when they told him he only had until Saturday with Norbert. However, sad or not, Saturday came and Hagrid had him packed in a crate with rats ("in case he gets hungry") and a teddy bear that Gwen could bet was more of a teddy pile-of-fluff by now.

"Bye-bye Norbert! Mummy will never forget you!" Hagrid sobbed as they threw the cloak around themselves and left with the crate of dragon.

The wound up staircases and crept through corridors, rushing to make it to the tower before midnight. The crate was impossibly heavy and all of them were glad that they had three people, instead of just two. But the crate, if possible, only got heavier when they saw a lamp and two people appear just down the hall they were in.

Professor McGonagall had Malfoy firmly by the ear.

"Detention!" She shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin. Wandering around in the middle of the night? How _dare _you-"

"No! Professor you don't understand! It's Potter! And probably Montgomery too! They've got a dragon with them and-" He howled, voice cracking from the pain of having his ear tugged on.

"How could you tell such a lie! Terrible…I shall see Professor Snape about you!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't," Harry advised her.

They waited for a moment. Four riders on broomsticks came swooping up to the window. They were quite happy and didn't look as if they'd even blinked after being told that they would be carrying an illegal dragon.

They strapped the dragon in between them, chuckled their goodbye's and flew off into the night, chatting about the excitement of delivering a dragon to Charlie Weasley.

They were about to walk off back down the staircase when Gwen remembered the cloak. They threw it around themselves only to almost crash right into Filch. Gwen could barely stop herself from screaming at the sight of his face so close to hers. Quickly, they ducked and dodged, escaping him as fast as they possibly could.

Laughing, they didn't quite watch where they were going and Gwen's robe got caught on a suit of armor and they went crashing to the ground, invisibility cloak falling off in the process.

They scrambled to their feet only to find themselves in the presence of the one person they thought that they would be rid of for at least a day or so.

"I knew it!" He cried, pointing a pale finger at them, practically laughing. "Professor, come see. It's Potter and Montgomery. And they've got Granger with them!"

And there she was, simply frightening in her night time attire.

Gwen growled slightly as she bunched her eyebrows together. "Congratulations, snake."


	14. Chapter 12

**A/N: I got this one up so fast because I just want this story to be done so I can start on the Chamber of Secrets. I've been watching the movie non-stop for about four days now and I'm simply bursting with ideas. It's truly insane! Pleeeeeease review and enjoy!**

Malfoy walked beside Gwen while Professor McGonagall marched them down to her study. Her expression was completely unreadable. About the time they reached the second floor, she reached into the shadows and pulled a worried Neville out by the arm. She had caught him out of bed as well and told him to wait for her there.

"Gwen! Harry!" he called, running up to them. "I came to warn you! I heard Malfoy saying that he was going to catch you with a dragon!"

Gwen, Harry and Hermione looked at each other, stomachs sinking with guilt. They had accidentally dragged Neville into their business again. First Fluffy and now this?

When they reached her study, Professor McGonagall sat down at her desk and observed them harshly over her glasses.

"What on earth could you all be doing out of bed at this hour? It's one o'clock in the morning! _Explain yourselves!_"

But how could they explain?

"Well then, I think I've got a pretty good grasp on what's going on here!" she said sternly. "You thought it would be amusing to feed Mr. Malfoy some ridiculous story about a dragon to get him out of bed and in trouble. You three came up here to get a good laugh about it but you got caught. And Mr. Longbottom caught the story somewhere and came to warn you. Did it add to your amusement that he got caught as well?"

Neville whimpered sadly. Gwen hung her head.

"I am simply appalled! Five students out of bed in one-"

"_Draco!_" a voice screeched from the doorway. "I thought I saw you go! What are you doing?"

Filch stomped into the room dragging a girl by the arm. Apparently when Filch didn't catch them in the astronomy tower he continued his patrol and he found…

"Miss Parkinson! What are you doing out of bed?" Professor McGonagall barked.

"I was just following Draco here, to get him back to bed. So if you would excuse us-"

"I hardly think so. Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense than this! Miss Montgomery, how could you be so reckless? And Mr. Potter, your disrespect for Gryffindor House is absolutely appalling! Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor. And fifty from Slytherin as well, Miss Parkinson."

"Fifty?" gasped Harry.

"Each!"

"Professor - please-"

"This isn't quite fair!"

"You can't-"

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do, Mr. Potter. All six of you will receive detentions - yes, _six_ Miss. Parkinson! Now get back to bed immediately!"

oo0O0oo

The next days were the worst Harry had ever had and Gwen had a rough time about it as well. All of a sudden not even Seamus would talk to her. Ron stuck by Harry and Gwen had the twins. They seemed to be a little unsure, but they were still nice to her. Lucky they were really, otherwise Harry's Quidditch practices would have been a lot worse. At one point the offered to resign but Wood shot that idea down right away.

The three of them launched themselves straight into exam studying to get away from it all. One afternoon, Ron, Gwen and Hermione were in the library quizzing each other on Astronomy when Harry ran in, looking panicked. They looked up. Harry glanced at Ron.

"I heard Snape and Quirrell in an empty classroom, arguing," he gasped. "Snape was _bullying_ Quirrell and it sounded like Quirrell just _gave in_ to him. I feel really bad for him."

"Should we go to Dumbledore?" Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"No, we haven't got any proof. Its his word against Snape's!" Gwen pointed out.

"I guess that's it then. Snape and Quirrell will have to work this out themselves," Ron sighed, buying their story.

The owls came the next morning at breakfast with their detentions. Eleven o'clock that night with Filch. Neville, Harry, Gwen and Hermione all got them. So at eleven o'clock that night, Ron gave them his sympathies and they left to go endure whatever punishment Filch had planned for them.

When they got to the entrance hall, Malfoy and Pansy were already there, Malfoy looking very much like he was ready to complain and Pansy's expression twisted into a face that read "I should _not _have to be here!"

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes… hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me… It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed…

Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. They knew that their punishment had to be something truly awful, else Filch wouldn't look quite so pleased.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, they could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

"And don't be thinking that that oaf'll give you an easy time. No, no - you'll be lucky enough to come out of the forest alive," Filch smiled, showing all his crooked teeth.

"Yer late!" Hagrid called. "Bin lecturing' them again? Well, don't do it again. Snot your place ter do that. I'll take them now."

"Well, I'll be back at dawn," Filch turned around and called over his shoulder, "for what's left of them anyways."

Hagrid turned to them. "C'mon then!"

"I-I'm not going in there!" Malfoy's voice shook.

"Well, this is yer detention and this is how yeh'll stay at Hogwarts - go in ter the forest."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd—"

"—tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Malfoy didn't move.

He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me a moment."

Hagrid showed them some silvery fluid on the ground. He explained that it was unicorn blood. And they were going into the forest to find what had been hurting them. When Hagrid explained that they'd be split into two groups - one with him and one with Fang - Malfoy immediately claimed he wanted Fang.

And so, some minutes later, Neville, Gwen and Malfoy were trekking off into the deep of the forest while Pansy, Hermione and Harry went the other way with Hagrid.

A slithering sound echoed through the forest.

"Did you hear that?" Malfoy whimpered.

"No I didn't bloody hear it," Gwen growled sarcastically.

Neville just paled and inched closer to Fang.

"What do you think could be killing the unicorns?"

"I don't know, Malfoy. Maybe a snake?"

"Well, you can stop being so sarcastic with me, it is your fault that I'm here anyways. If my father were here…"

"You say that a lot, don't you?" Neville muttered bravely.

"Why you-"

"Shh! Listen!" Gwen pulled them behind a rock.

A loud clattering could be heard, like the hooves of several large horses. It was coming from the left and getting louder. The three of them huddled together, mostly forgetting that Malfoy didn't like them and they didn't like him either. Soon, the sound faded away as it traveled by them and deeper into the forest.

"O-okay. It wasn't anything too bad. Let's keep going. I'll lead," Gwen took a step forward and accidentally stepped on a stick, making them all flinch.

Malfoy scoffed.

And then a horrid scream came from behind and she saw red sparks above her. Turning around, she found Neville fainted on the ground and Malfoy standing over him, hands outstretched and a smirk plastered on his face. Gwen was quick to slap it off.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Hey! You just slapped me!"

"Uh, yeah! We're supposed to be searching for a monster - NOT ENCOURAGING IT TO SEARCH FOR US!" She yelled at him.

Malfoy paled as he thought about what Malfoy's scream might have attracted. Gwen had just barely gotten Neville to wake up from his faint when Hagrid came rushing to them.

"What happened?" He bellowed.

"Malfoy here thought that it would be simply hilarious to sneak behind Neville and ump at him. Neville got so scared he fainted and let out a terrible scream and sent out sparks, thinking it was something worse than a self-righteous snake."

"What am I going to do with you?" Hagrid grabbed Malfoy by the shoulder.

"I say leave him in the forest. He monster enough to blend in with the rest of them," Gwen crossed her arms.

Silently, they were led back to the other three, who were waiting with fearful expressions on their faces.

"It'll be a miracle ter catch anything' now, what with all that racket you caused. All right, we're changing' groups now - Harry, you switch with this idiot. Neville, stay with Gwen and Harry and Malfoy, Hermione and Pansy stay with me."

The three of them wandered for what seemed like forever. Neville kept whimpering, frightened and Gwen would always gently move beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. It seemed to comfort him. Suddenly, they came to a clearing. Harry reached out his arm to stop Neville and Gwen.

"Look-"

Harry was motioning to further into the clearing. There was a beautiful and tragic white beast. It's blood was thick around it and it had long since ceased all movement. Gwen could have cried for the sadness she felt. The thing was so pure and innocent and yet it had been slain.

And then the strange slithering began again.

A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered… Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Gwen, Neville, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAARRGGGHHH!" Gwen and Neville cried. Fang went scuttling away from the creature, yowling the whole way. Neville went sprinting away as fast as he could and Gwen began to run as well.

"Harry! Go! Come on! _Get away_!" She screeched, leaning out to grab him. But the creature lifted its head and began to stalk at Harry. Gwen had absolutely reached her bravery limit for the night and bloted without a second thought towards her friend - her mind was completely blank with the most intense fear she'd ever felt.

Ron had fallen asleep waiting for them in the common room. They went to the other side of the room while Harry explained about the hooded figure and what a centaur named Firenze had told him.

Snape wants the stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious… he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen… They must show that Voldemort's coming back… Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me… I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Don't say that Harry. Don't even think that!" Gwen insisted. She noticed how Hermione kept flinching whenever Harry said Voldemort. The name gave her a strange feeling as well - one of fear and paranoia - but it didn't bother her too much when Harry said it.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off… Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

"But he can't come kill you. Dumbledore is the only wizard You-Know-Who has ever been afraid of. As long as he's around, you're safe," Hermione comforted.

They continued talking through the night but eventually went to bed. And when they woke up, Harry had something to show them.

_Just in case._


	15. Chapter 13

**A/N: I am sooo sorry for the wait but school has been distracting. And you know how it is, just jump straight into all your activities again. For me thats three dance classes, voice lessons, choir, book club amoung other things...so read and review. And enjoy!**

Exams were tedious and long. The entirety of Gryffindor had commenced studying and all social activities had temporarily been put on hold. Harry, Hermione and Gwen virtually forgot about the Philosopher's Stone, though they still checked for Fluffy's growling. Gwen and the rest of the school worked their way through Potions, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Astronomy and Herbology.

Meanwhile, Harry's infamous nightmares had worsened and now contained visions of a hooded figure with a mouth dripping with unicorn blood. While Ron (who thought it was nothing more than exam stress) and Hermione told him that the dreams definitely didn't mean anything, Gwen became more and more concerned each day.

Dreams meant things. Gwen had always known and believed that. It wasn't like the awful hoax of Divination (as Hermione described it and Gwen secretly thought it). Dreams were your subconscious telling you something, while Divination was some "all-knowing power" sending you a message.

Despite all of that, the final exam - History of Magic - came and went faster than any of them could have hoped for. And when all of the quills were put down, the room exploded with cheering. Spilling out onto the grounds with the rest of their class, Harry, Hermione, Gwen and Ron all lounged about under a tree near the lake.

"It was easier than I thought!" Hermione rambled. She went on about how she shouldn't have bothered with this and how she was glad she studied extra on that.

"Harry, relax a little. You shouldn't look so stressed out," Ron yawned, stretching his arms. "Exams are over and it's almost summer."

"I wish I understood this" Harry burst out, rubbing at his scar. "It doesn't make sense. It keeps burning and it just keeps happening."

"Go to Madame-" Hermione began.

"Why?" snapped Gwen. "So she can tell him to take a headache potion?"

"I'm not sick. I think that it's trying to warn me that danger's coming," Harry furiously clawed at his forehead once again.

"Seriously Harry, you're overreacting. You know that scar came from You-Know-Who," Ron's voice lowered. "It makes sense that you would be worried."

"But we all know that Dumbledore is the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. So as long as you're in Hogwarts, you're safe. And even if Dumbledore left, not one of the teachers - except for maybe Snape - would ever think about betraying Dumbledore. Especially the ones like McGonagall and _Hagrid_!"

Hermione's words had a different effect on everyone. Ron looked pleased that his original point had made sense. Hermione looked solemn. Gwen shared this expression. And Harry at first was quite serious as well, but then his face clouded over with an intense worry and he stood up.

"I have to go!"

And off he ran, not stopping for an explanation.

"Harry!" Gwen stood up too and chased after him, leaving a worried Hermione and a very confused Ron behind.

"Harry! What's going on?" Gwen finally caught up with him just outside of Hagrid's hut.

"We've got see Hagrid, now!"

"What?"

"He's it. The key to solving this. We can get all of this Stone business sorted once and for all if we just…"

"Harry, you're not making any sense. Slow down!"

"Don't you think that it's a little suspicious - just a little - that all Hagrid's ever wanted is a dragon egg and as soon as the Stone comes to Hogwarts, some stranger happens to have one to give to him?"

"I-I'm sure that it was just coincidence…"

"Dragon eggs are illegal, Gwen. People don't just walk around with them! Lucky they found Hagrid to give it to, right? Really lucky."

"You don't mean-"

"Hagrid!" Harry hollered, cutting her off as he banged urgently on the wooden door.

"Gwen! Harry! Finished yer exams then? Where's Ron an' Hermione?"

"By the lake - but we need to talk to you."

"Alright. Got time fer a drink?"

"No. Hagrid, focus!" Gwen began pacing as Harry opened his mouth.

"The man who gave you Norbert's egg, what did he look like?"

"Well, I dunno. I couldn' see his face, wouldn' take his cloak off."

Gwen and Harry exchanged a look. It was an expression that wasn't lost on Hagrid.

"It's not unusual. Yeh get a lot o' strange folk in the Hog's Head - one o' the pubs in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he?"

"Well, you did talk about Hogwarts to him I'd expect," said Gwen.

"Yeh know, it mighta come up once or twice. Told him I was the gamekeeper here an'…he wondered about the creatures I watched…talked about Fluffy an'…an' then….an' then I can't remember after that. He kept buying me drinks…" Hagrid put his hand to his head, as if he was still nursing a headache.

"Interested in Fluffy, was he? What did he want to know about him?"

"Wanted to know I could handle a dragon. An' I told him that after a three-headed dog, well, a dragon'd be nothing. See, with Fluffy, yeh just play him a bit o' music and he's off ter sleep."

"What?" Gwen gasped.

"No, no, no, shouldn'ta told yeh that! Should not've told yeh that!"

But Harry and Gwen were already out the door, on their way back to the castle.

"We need to talk to Dumbledore - now!"

"Given," Gwen picked up speed as Harry's swift pace set him ahead of her.

"Someone got Hagrid drunk and now they know how to get the Stone."

"Okay, sure. So now we've got a new problem. I have no idea where Dumbledore's office is and I would assume the same goes for you."

"Er…" Harry glanced around, clearly looking for some indication that they were going in the right direction.

"What could you two possibly be doing inside?"

"Professor McGonagall!" Gwen whipped her head around.

"We need to see Professor Dumbledore. But, we don't know where his office is."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall's knuckles tightened around the books she was carrying. "Why?"

"It's kind of a secret," Harry said, earning himself an elbow in the ribs and the most frightening glare he'd ever seen. He knew he'd made a mistake solely based on the expression on Professor McGonagall's face.

"Professor Dumbledore has left. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and was off to London immediately."

"_He's gone_?" Gwen's eyes widened.

"Professor Dumbledore is a very important and respected wizard. He has many demands on him and the Ministry of Magic just happens to be top priority. I'm sorry Mr. Potter, Miss Montgomery but-"

"But it's about the Philospher's Stone!" They cried together.

Professor McGonagall dropped all of her books.

"How do you know —?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think — I _know _— that Sn— that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor —"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly.

She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

And of course, they didn't.

"What are we going to do? It was obviously a set up. And now Snape's going to go through the trapdoor - tonight. What are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to-" Harry was cut off by Gwen pulling him into the shadows.

Snape went swooping by, a strange, twisted smile on his face. He marched around the corner and headed toward the staffroom. As soon as he was gone, they emerged.

"Here's what we're going to do - one of us is going to have to stand outside the staffroom and make sure that Snape doesn't go anywhere near the third floor. Gwen - you go do that and I'll go let Hermione know. Okay?"

"Got it."

They went off in opposite directions.

Gwen stood outside the staffroom, keeping enough out of the way that the teachers going in wouldn't notice her. She had her back turned when she heard his drawling voice behind her.

"Montgomery, what would one such as yourself be doing inside, near the staffroom on such a beautiful, exam-free day?"

"N-nothing, sir. I merely got lost looking for the bathroom. You know this castle - it's like its trying to get you lost."

"Yes, well I suggest you run along. Otherwise someone might just mistake you for being up to no good," he marched off, leaving a devastated Gwen with no choice but to run back to the common room and hope that Harry and Hermione were already there.

When the portrait hole swung open, she immediately registered Harry and Hermione speaking urgently in quick whispers without a sign of Ron anywhere nearby.

"Snape came out of the staffroom," she explained. "He was suspicious and I had to lie. I can't follow him now."

"I guess that's it then. I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and I'll try to stop Snape myself."

"You can't!" cried Hermione.

"How mental do you think we take you for?"

"You could be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted.

"Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over?

There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup?

If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

"Yeah," said Gwen in a small voice. "We remember."

Harry was lost in his own thoughts and didn't hear her.

"Now that I've got my invisibility cloak back, I can go tonight. I can do this," Harry said, more to himself than anyone else.

"Great! So, when do we leave?"

Hermione nodded in agreement while Harry glanced up in surprise.

"What?"

"You couldn't possibly have thought we were going to let you go alone! You _need_ us. I'll go get my books. I'm sure that there's something in them that'll help…" Hermione dashed up the stairs towards her dormitory.

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too." He said, stopping Hermione in her tracks.

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

oo0O0Ooo

Gwen wasn't quite sure how she got through the rest of the day. Her stomach was churning, her head was reeling and most of Gryffindor still avoided her. She couldn't look at anyone - she knew that if they couldn't manage it, all of these people were as good as dead.

But then, Lee Jordan finally left the common room and they were alone.

"Time to go," whispered Harry.

"This is it," Hermione replied.

"Alright," Harry said nervously, clutching the flute he was going to use to put Fluffy to sleep. "We have to make sure that the cloak covers out feet."

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"But you can't go out! Gryffindor can't afford to lose any more points!"

"Neville…" Gwen began.

Harry cut her off. "Neville, this is important."

"No! I won't let you. I-I'll fight you!"

"Neville please be reasonable. This is stupid. Go back to bed."

Gwen had major déjà vu. She could remember saying almost the exact same thing to a flustered Hermione many months earlier. But unlike Hermione, Neville wouldn't budge.

"It isn't stupid! You told me to stand up for myself!"

"No - listen-" Gwen took a step towards him.

"Go on then! Try and hit me!"

Gwen glanced around in a panic and Harry desperately turned to Hermione.

"_Do something!_"

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this," Hermione said, raising her wand. "_Petrificus Tota-_"

"_Expelliarmus_!" cried Gwen.

Hermione's wand flew into the air and landed in Gwen's outstretched hand.

"What are you doing? We're running out of time!" Harry said, yanking Hermione's wand out of Gwen's hand.

"You can't do that to him. The entire House is asleep. He could be stuck like that for hours and hours. That's awful. I won't let you do that to him."

"But what are we going to do with him?" Hermione asked.

"We'll just have to leave him here."

"Fine. Let's go!" Harry pushed, rushing them out of the portrait hole.

In their rush, they didn't notice that Neville ended up with them outside in the hallway - either because he followed them out or because he got caught up in their haste to get to the third floor.

Harry threw the cloak around the three of them, leaving Neville staring at the portrait hole.

"Oh no," Gwen breathed. The Fat Lady had once again disappeared. Her disappearance had begun their problems and now, on the night it was all set to end, she was gone again.

"What are we going to do? We can't leave him out here!" Hermione hissed.

"You guys take him under the invisibility cloak. I'll walk."

And so they took Neville along with them, giving him a spot under the invisibility cloak instead of Gwen, who proved she was right in saying that she could sneak in the shadows as well as any cat. She had to join them under the cloak though, when they had a close encounter with Peeves. But other than that, they made it to the third floor corridor without problem. Except that Fluffy's door was wide open.

"Alright, I guess Snape beat us here," said Harry, throwing the cloak off and turning to the others. "If you want to turn back now I wouldn't blame you. I can do this alone."

They all wore different expressions. Harry was as solemn as the grave as he tried to get his friends out of danger. Hermione looked as though she could hug him, slap him and cry all at the same time. Gwen had a dramatic expression of '_are you kidding me?'_ and was in the middle of rolling her eyes. And Neville was cowering as far from the door as he could get without leaving the presence of the other three, looking very much like he wished he hadn't tried to stop them.

"Not this again!" Gwen huffed.

"We're going with you," Hermione said.

And the three of them marched inside, keeping well away from the frightening beast who could smell them, even if he couldn't see them.

"A harp," said Gwen. "There - at it's feet."

"I guess Snape wasn't in the mood to sing," Harry joked grimly.

He blew a note on the flute and the dog drifted off to sleep, quickly and soundlessly.

"Don't stop playing, alright?" instructed Hermione, who assisted Gwen in heaving the dog's paw off of the trapdoor and pulling it open, dearly wishing that the hinges weren't so rusty.

"Who's going first?" Gwen asked, peering into the depths.

"Well, I don't want to!" Hermione said, voice shaking.

Harry quickly motioned that he wanted to and handed the flute over to Hermione, who began playing softly.

He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Gwen and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Y-yeah…" Gwen stuttered.

He dropped and was lost from view. Hermione looked quite panicked. She was about to stop playing and pull Gwen to the owlery when they heard a distant voice call, "It's okay! It's a soft landing. Just jump!"

"Alright then. Hermione keep playing. I'll go next and then you, alright?" Gwen said, bending her knees. She was about to launch herself down when she heard:

"Wait! Don't leave me here!"

It was Neville. He was nervously edging his way past the dog and towards the trapdoor.

"What do you propose we do with you then?" Gwen said irritably. She usually had a patience but Harry was down there alone and Snape was stealing the Stone as they spoke.

"I-I don't know. But you can't leave me here all alone!"

"Alright then. Come with me."

And before he could protest, Gwen had given him a light shove and jumped down after him, landing beside Harry. Hermione came down a moment later.

"Is this like a plant or something?" Gwen asked.

"_EEEEK!_" Hermione shrieked in a very un-Hermione-like way.

Gwen, Harry and Neville were both being coiled around by large vines and Hermione's ankles were beginning to become trapped as well.

"W-what…" Harry stammered.

"I know!" said Neville suddenly. "It's Devil's Snare. Umm…relax."

"Are you sure, Neville? I don't quite remember the Devil's Snare and…"

But he was already gone and Gwen had disappeared with him.

"Where did they go?" said Harry, panicking.

"I don't know!" Hermione screeched.

Down below, Neville and Gwen were standing up on the hard, cold floor, looking up at their struggling friends.

"They're not relaxing," Neville stated.

"What do we do?" asked Gwen.

"Sunlight. Or fire. Now Gwen!"

"Right!" she cried and sent blue flames at the plant, which immediately shrank back and released Harry and Hermione.

"I can't believe I couldn't remember that," said Hermione miserably. "I just saw Gwen go down and I sort of panicked."

"C'mon. This way," said Harry, leading the way.

They spent the long walk explaining everything to Neville. The Stone, Nicholas Flamel, Snape, the hooded figure in the forest and about Fluffy and the other teacher's guarding the Stone. He remained quite silent but seemed to believe them.

"What's that?" asked Hermione. A rustling sound could be heard on the other side of the passage they were walking down.

"It sounds like…birds?" said Gwen.

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Think they'll attack us?" asked Neville in a hushed voice.

"Only one way to find out," said Gwen, taking a step into the room.

As soon as she was in she let out a breath. With another step, she still remained unharmed. Finally, she made it all the way across the room and touched the door. "Locked."

The other three came across the room and after much tug and pull and many Alohamora charms the door still remained still.

"These birds… they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering —_glittering_?

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're _keys_! Winged keys — look carefully. So that must mean…" he looked around the chamber while the other three squinted up at the flock of keys. "… yes — look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are _hundreds _of them!"

"W-well," stuttered Neville. "The lock looks really old. So the key probably matches that. Silver or brass and really old. And really big, too."

"Neville! You're brilliant!" exclaimed Gwen, hugging him.

They each seized a broomstick. Harry picked a fast one. He planned to be the one to catch it. Hermione chose one that looked fairly stable as she was not a skilled flyer. And Gwen picked a larger one. Neville would be riding with her because he couldn't fly to save his life. In fact, every time he got on a broomstick, he seemed to almost kill himself.

Gwen flew about, inspecting keys. They all were new and small and mostly gold. Their wings were blue, red, purple, yellow, green, pink and every other colour you could think of. But none of them looked as Neville had described.

"There! I found it! The big silver one with the bent wing!" Harry called. "It's flying slower than the others. Hermione, you block it from above, Gwen you take it from below and I'll try and catch it. And Neville, try to stay on the broom.

Gwen tipped her broom towards the ceiling and sped at it. It flew in circles trying to avoid them but suddenly a blur zoomed past her. It was Harry and he had caught the key!

They dashed through the unlocked door and found themselves in a dark chamber. Suddenly, lights flooded the room, revealing a life-sized chess board.

"What do we do?" asked Harry slowly.

"I think," said Gwen, walking up to a black rook and poking it. "that we have to play our way across the room."

"How will we manage that?" asked Hermione.

"What if we lose?"

Harry turned to Neville, his eyes hard. "Then Snape gets the Stone. Besides, we've got Gwen and Hermione. We can't possibly lose."

Gwen walked up to the king. "Do we have to, like, play _as _you?"

He nodded.

"Okay then. Harry, you take the bishop, Hermione you stand in the place of that knight. And Neville…you can be the rook."

"What about you?" asked Hermione.

"I'm feeling like I want to take the place of the queen. Okay, white moves first. To your positions! Let's do this."

Gwen walked up to the queens spot.

Gwen and Hermione began to move pieces about the board. They kept Neville out of the way as much as possible. Then it was the last move.

"I can move there - she'll probably take me but then…hm…if I stay there I could be safe… I've decided that I'm going to tempt the other queen. If she takes me, Neville, you move in and checkmate. If she doesn't, Hermione you can checkmate."

"But Gwen! You know what happens to those pieces that get taken. You could get seriously hurt!" Hermione cried.

"No way you're doing this!" Harry protested. But it was too late. Gwen had already moved into position and the queen had turned to face her.

Out of some luck, the queen seemed to find Gwen terribly uninteresting and she turned instead to the rook beside her. With one great stroke, it was nothing more than a pile of black dust. Hermione slowly edged forward and the king threw his crown to her feet. She picked it up and inspected it, face pale. Neville sank into a dead faint upon the floor.

"We have to keep going." said Harry.

Hermione moved off the chessboard to follow him.

"I'm staying here," said Gwen. "I can't leave Neville alone like this. It isn't fair."

She moved up to Harry and Hermione. "You two were brilliant. Be safe."

They pulled her into a hug and then walked into the next room, not looking back.

Gwen rushed up to Neville. She stood there for several minutes before he woke up with a groan.

"Neville! Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…Gwen! You're not dead?" Neville blinked groggily.

"No, silly. But c'mon, you have to get up. Harry and Hermione just went through the next door. They could be back any moment."

"Right…" he said, allowing Gwen to pull him to his feet.

"Gwen, Neville, we have to get going - now!" Hermione called from the other end of the chamber. She was running at them, her face a plaster of worry and urgency.

"Hermione! What-" Gwen started.

"Run now, explain later. We have to get Dumbledore here as soon as possible."

They all ran and kept running, through the chess pieces, through the chamber with the keys and back out to the Devil's Snare.

"Hermione, _what_ is going on?" Gwen grabbed her by the shoulders.

"We came to a room with potions. One would take you forward - to the Stone - and the other would bring you back to the other rooms. Harry went forward but I couldn't go with him. And he's trapped in there with Snape and-and oh! I'm so worried. We have to get to Dumbledore. _What are we going to do! _This stupid plant is in the way!" she ranted.

"Hermione, calm down."

"No - this is serious! We're stuck down here and Harry might be dying!"

"_Hermione!"_

Neville watched the exchanged with wide eyes.

"Hermione," Gwen said, her voice evening out. "I've got an idea. How about we light fire's under certain vines so that they'll stretch upwards. Then, if we get them in the right positions, we can use them as a sort of latter."

"Gwen that's-that's brilliant!"

Ten minutes later they were out of the tunnel and running down the corridor, heading for the owlery. Just as they rounded a corner, they saw Dumbledore himself striding down the hallway towards them.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir! It's Harry, he's-" Hermione called.

"He's gone down to try to save the Stone. Someone's-" Gwen choked out. She was emotional with fear.

"Someone's going to try and steal it. They might already have managed it…" Neville finished quietly.

"Yes, I know," said Dumbledore powerfully. "I'm going down there now. You must not follow, it is too dangerous."

He disappeared through the doorway, subduing Fluffy with a wave of his hand. When he opened the trapdoor, he seemed to levitate himself down. And just before he closed the trapdoor behind him, the three of them heard a scream that sounded remarkably like Harry.

And a high, cruel laugh.


	16. Chapter 14

**A/N: This is it, the last chapter. I hope you like it. This one has a lot from the original but the way I see it, Dumbledore is mostly unaffected by the changes. I'd just like to give a shout out to _abbzeh_. They're an author on this site and I've been using their 'Reading at Hogwarts' fanfics to reference the books, instead of using the physical book. Thank you sooo much! And thank you everyone who's stuck with me. But I will be back. Don't you worry about that. So I'll see you in a month - max. Bye!**

Gwen paced up and down the room, her feet creating hollow noises that rang through the nearly empty Hospital Wing. She had been doing that for a number of minutes.

"Wake up!" she yelled.

"Miss Montgomery!" scolded a voice from the other side of the room. "If you can't be quiet, you'll have to leave. I can't have you disturbing Mr. Potter!"

"Sorry," she muttered, collapsing on a chair opposite the only occupied bed in the room. She reached over to the side table and snatched a liquorice wand, tearing pieces from it miserably.

"Gwen, please calm down. Madame Pomfrey already said he's going to be fine. All we can do is wait…" Hermione sighed.

"That doesn't make it any easier. What if he doesn't wake up? We don't even know what happened down there."

"I know. But we've been here for nearly an hour and we've eaten enough of his candy. Gwen, let's go." Hermione said firmly.

"He's been out for nearly three days…"

The day before they had finally told Ron. Somehow, the story had gotten around the school and they figured it would be better to just get it over with. Gwen's assumption had been right and he had been extremely angry. He even went so far as to not talk to them for a whole of nearly ten hours. But then he went to the Hospital Wing and saw Harry and realised how much it had taken for them to _not_ tell him. He had come up to them just after dinner.

"Hey," Ron said, walking slowly up to Gwen and Hermione.

"Hey," said Gwen.

"Hello Ronald."

"I just visited Harry and, well, I realised that you couldn't tell me. I get how dangerous it was."

"It _is_" Gwen corrected in a huff.

"How dangerous it is, then. And I just wanted to say, well, I'm sorry. I really am. Gwen, Hermione, do you think I'm a complete git?"

They looked at each other.

"Not a _complete_ git," they said together.

"Thanks, I guess…" Ron shuffled his feet.

"We were just going to go visit him, you know, Harry. I know that you were just there but would you like to come with us?" Hermione pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Sure."

That's how they all ended up in the Hospital Wing.

"He's been out for nearly three days…" Gwen muttered sadly.

"And you've been here every one of those days," Ron tried, unsuccessfully, to comfort her.

"But-"

"_That's it!_" came a shriek. Madame Pomfrey shooed them out of the Hospital Wing with a broom. "You three have done absolutely nothing but make noise. I can't have you disrupt his healing. You can come back in later."

They sat down on the steps near the Hospital Wing. They didn't want to go back to the common room and face interrogation and the library would likely be no better. And they definitely had no appetite. Hermione sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, bottom lip shaking and eyes cloudy. Ron continuously rubbed his head and cleared his throat. And Gwen took to pacing again.

How long they stayed like that, they didn't know, but eventually they saw Dumbledore striding down towards the door to the Hospital Wing. He turned his head in their direction and his eyes twinkled a little more than they had been. His deep blue robes swept around the corner.

"What Dumbledore doing in the Hospital Wing?" Ron asked stupidly.

"Isn't it obvious? He's come to see Harry. Most likely about what happened down there."

"That would mean…Harry's awake!" Gwen called.

They rushed to the door. They found it quite closed and didn't feel much like walking in while Dumbledore was talking with Harry. They waited outside the door for quite a while. Eventually Ron couldn't take it anymore and he pressed his ear against the door. Gwen immediately joined him. At first Hermione protested but her curiosity got the best of her and she pushed her ear against the thick wood as well.

"Alas! Ear wax!"

"Now, I feel that our conversation has reached its inevitable end. I shall see you at the feast, no doubt, Harry?"

"Yes, of course, sir."

They bounced back from the door as Dumbledore opened it. He looked at them and chuckled. His eyes seemed to tell them that what they were doing was very much okay but he didn't say a word to them. They pressed their ears against the wood once again but had missed most of Harry's exchange with Madame Pomfrey.

"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need _rest_."

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes _only_."

The door opened once again.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "You three may come in. But only five minutes. And not too loud this time, Miss Montgomery."

"When have I ever acted any differently?" Gwen asked innocently.

"_Harry_" Hermione made a dash for him.

"Hermione! Don't kill him! We already had that almost happen once."

"Gwen, don't _joke_ about that. It's not funny."

"Three days? Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah mate, you gave us a real scare," Ron said, face grave.

"Ron! Do you…know?"

"Yes, we told him," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," he said weakly. "Good."

"You know, Harry, you really had us going. When Dumbledore first put you in the hospital wing, we thought he'd finally cracked. We've never seen him so worried," Gwen said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Like a said, you gave us a real scare," said Ron.

"Now, Harry, I don't mean to be blunt, but what happened down there?" Hermione asked carefully.

And he told them. It was horrible, all of it. It was like those movies Gwen used to watch. Like some sort of messed up Agatha Christie novel.

"But what about you?" Harry asked. "What happened after I left?"

"Well, we were going to the owlery. We met Dumbledore in one of the hallways and when he came back from the third floor, he had you…" Gwen grew silent.

They spoke for a little while longer. Slytherin won the House cup, losing to Ravenclaw in the last Quidditch match - which only Ron went to because Gwen and Hermione were too sick with worry. Eventually Madame Pomfrey showed up and kicked them out. Almost literally.

"It's been _fifteen minutes_ and nearly past curfew. You may visit him tomorrow!"

"Yeah, right. Bye Harry. Here's hoping Volde-" Ron shot Gwen a look. She corrected herself. "You-Know-Who doesn't inhabit Madame Pomfrey and kill you in your sleep."

"Gwen," Hermione warned, but Harry let out a feeble chuckle and she fell silent.

"See ya, mate!"

"Feel better, Harry."

"See you at dinner, then."

The next day, Gwen, Ron and Hermione walked down to the Great Hall together. They made sure to leave a space between Gwen and Ron for Harry. They sat themselves down and looked up. The entire hall was decked out with green and silver banners and slithering snakes.

Gwen looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy smirking at her triumphantly. She gave him a quick gagging motion and he turned his head.

She was so distracted that she didn't look back towards her own table until she felt a presence take the seat beside her. Gwen noticed many other students from all of the Houses up on their feet, craning their necks to get a look at the spot beside Gwen.

She turned her head, finally, and saw Harry sitting there. The entire hall erupted into sudden noise as they turned to tell their friends about what they'd heard about the "great Harry Potter". Ignoring all of that, Harry turned his head and smiled at her. She flashed him a huge grin and turned back to her food as she listened to Dumbledore's speech.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…

Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and sixty-two points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and eighteen and Slytherin, four hundred and twenty-two."

The Slytherin table descended into madness. Gwen had to turn her head. It made her feel quite sick.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…

"First — to Miss Guinevere Montgomery…"

Harry saw Gwen wince despite herself.

"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years and incredible logic and wit in times of danger, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. The Weasley twins could be heard telling all who would listen, "That's Gwen! She's our new project you know. Our non-redhead sister of sorts."

At last there was silence again.

"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Gwen was sure that she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.

"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet.

"… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and twenty-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin.

They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. And paying attention in Herbology is proven to pay off when faced with a dangerous problem. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table.

Harry, Gwen, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Gwen in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him. She laughed a bit, but stopped immediately when he turned to her. He looked thoroughly disappointed. She shot him a sympathetic look and his stunned one was replaced with - well - a different sort of stunned look.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin,

"we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place.

The evening slipped by unspoilt. Hermione got top marks in the year and was so pleased she relaxed quite a bit for the evening. Harry and Ron slipped by - surprisingly on Ron's part. Gwen achieved some pretty good marks as well, coming out third in Gryffindor and even beating a few of the Ravenclaws. Neville did a lot better than anyone could have hoped. His Herbology mark was outstanding and his Potion mark had been pulled up a little by Gwen's constant assistance.

And then their trunks were all packed with all of their things and they had sailed across the lake and loaded into the train. Soon they were chugging through the countryside and eating sweets and visiting other compartments, saying their goodbyes.

And then they were on the platform, not wanting to leave at all.

"You three have to come and stay this summer," Ron insisted. "I'll owl you."

"Oh look, mum! There he is- I mean, there they are!" Ginny Weasley could be seen hopping up and down, pointing at the approaching group.

"Oh, Ginny - it's rude to point."

They approached Mrs. Weasley.

"Have a good year, then?" She smiled down at them

"The best. Thank you so much, Mrs. Weasley, for the sweater," said Harry gratefully.

"And the fudge!" Gwen piped up.

"Oh, it was nothing. You're very welcome, Harry, Guinevere."

Harry glanced over at Gwen.

"Gwen," he corrected quickly.

"Yes, of course. Gwen."

"Ready, are you?"

Gwen turned to see a large man, a skinny woman and a ridiculously big boy about her age standing, faces fearful, staring fearfully at Harry."

You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

Harry hung back for a last word with Gwen, Ron and Hermione.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face. "_They _don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"

Ron and Hermione laughed a bit and then wandered back towards their families.

"My parents are meeting me nearer the entrance," said Gwen. "I think I'll walk with you for a while."

Harry smiled and walked ahead, Gwen by his side. Suddenly, she slowed down.

"So," she said to Dudley. "Want to see my wand?"


End file.
